


I Love Lincoln

by CaptainDodge



Category: The Loud House (Cartoon)
Genre: Abortion, Angst and Humor, Bullying, Drug-Induced Sex, Extremely Underage, F/M, Forced Orgasm, Gang Rape, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Incest, M/M, Police, Sibling Incest, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Teen Pregnancy, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-03-05 05:36:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 115,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13381269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainDodge/pseuds/CaptainDodge
Summary: Lincoln Loud has had a bad day. On a whim, he makes a wish that his sisters would love him more. Little does he know, his wish is about to come true -- in more ways than one! A kinda-sorta deconstruction of "Loudcest". (WARNING: Depressing.)





	1. Make A Wish

Lincoln Loud sighed. It had just been one of those days.

After he had disposed of his… _accident_ , he took a quick shower, put on some clean clothes, and ran out the front door, blushing furiously and trying his hardest not to cry the entire time. He walked down the cold, dark streets, hands jammed in his pockets, his sisters’ laughter still ringing in his ears. He didn’t know where he was going – all he knew was, he had to get out of that house. But he had been walking for nearly an hour now, and he realized he was getting close to the park. _A breath of fresh air might help clear my mind,_ he thought.

As Lincoln headed towards the park, he did what he always did when he needed to share his innermost feelings – he turned to you, the reader. “If you have any siblings, then you know that there are days where you just don’t get along,” he told you. “And in a family as big as mine, those days come around more often than usual. I mean, sure, most of the time, my sisters are nice to me, and some days, they get on my nerves. But some days… it feels like they actually _hate_ me. Like they enjoy seeing me suffer.”

He sighed again. “This… has been one of those days.”

Lincoln reached the entrance to the park, and strolled in. As he expected, the park was deserted. The only sounds he heard were the chirping of the crickets, the faint hum of the lamp-posts that lined the path, and the splish-splashing of the fountain in the distance. He breathed in the cool night air, already starting to feel a little better. As he walked down the path, he continued, “Now, don’t get me wrong; I know my sisters love me. But on days like these… I just can’t help but wonder…” He looked up. “What did they do, you ask? Well…”

Lincoln trailed off, blushing. Suddenly, he heard an all too familiar _splat_. Looking back down, he realized that he had just stepped in dog poop.

“AHHH! EWW! _WHOA–!!!_ ”

Hopping backwards in disgust, Lincoln stumbled and fell, banging his head on the lip of the fountain and accidentally reaching his hand into the water. Muttering angrily, rubbing the back of his head, and shaking the water off his hand, Lincoln hopped over to the grass, and wiped his shoe off.

“Let’s just say it involved _that_ ,” he said, “and my ‘Three P’s’ weren’t enough this time.”

After he was sure his shoe was clean, he headed back to the fountain. _This used to be a nice town,_ he thought _._ Looking down into the fountain’s waters at his distorted reflection, he sighed a third time, and jammed his hands back into his pockets. Just then, he felt something in his right pocket that he hadn’t felt before – something round and thin. Pulling it out, Lincoln saw it was a penny. He must have picked it up off the ground some days earlier and forgotten about it. Looking back down into the fountain, Lincoln got an idea. He knew that it was a stupid idea, but he figured that at this point, it was worth a shot.

Lincoln held his penny close to his chest, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

“ _I just… I wish my sisters would love me._ ”

He flicked the coin into the pool.

After standing there in silence for a few moments, he shook his head. That was just as stupid as he imagined it would be. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned back the way he had come, this time being careful to watch his step. Lincoln looked up at the sky. It was pretty late, now. If he took his time heading home, he should arrive after all his sisters had gone to bed, and thus, wouldn’t have to face any of them.

Half an hour later (after getting turned around in the darkness), Lincoln found himself back home. The whole house was dark. Creeping up to the front door, he tried the handle. The door opened.

Lincoln shook his head. _Some lessons just don’t stick_ , he thought.

Slipping inside (and locking the door behind him), Lincoln quietly tiptoed up the stairs. Being careful not to step on any of the creaky spots, he headed down the hallway to his room.

As soon as the door _click_ ed shut, Lincoln released his held breath in relief. But as he prepared to get ready for bed, he saw something on his bed. It was one of Lily’s diapers (clean, mercifully), and a note, which read:

_You’re gonna need one of these._

_~~ L. Loud_

Of course, that could be anyone. Crumpling the note, Lincoln tossed it and the diaper in the wastebasket, stripped down to his underwear, and flopped down onto the bed face-first.

_Tomorrow’s gonna be a lousy day,_ he thought. _I just know it._

Lincoln awoke the next morning to the familiar tickling sensation of the family dog, Charles, licking his face.

“ _Hahahaha_ , okay, Charles, okay, I’m up! _I’m up!_ ” Lincoln laughed, pushing the terrier away and scratching him behind the ear. Both boy and dog hopped out of bed, and Lincoln threw on a clean orange shirt and pair of jeans, and slipped into his familiar white sneakers. As he prepared to step out the door, though, Lincoln felt his initial lightheartedness from Charles’ wake-up call drain away. Now he had to face his sisters, and he shuddered at the thought of what they would say to him. There was only so much a guy could take – even one with thick skin, like him.

_Now or never_ , he thought. Mustering up all of his courage and remaining pride, he stepped out into the hallway.

No-one was there to greet him. That was a small mercy, at least. Lincoln heard Lori call to him from downstairs.

_“Lincoln!"_ she shouted. _“Come on, your breakfast is getting cold!”_

Yes, Lori had prepared breakfast, not Mr. Loud. _That’s right_ , Lincoln thought, _Mom and Dad are out of town for the week, and Lori’s in charge until they get back._ (He knew this already, but you, the reader, did not.) As he headed down the stairs toward the kitchen, he had time to think about who it was who left that “present” on his bed last night. Could it have been Luan? Maybe, but she would never be that mean-spirited… unless it was April Fools’, which it wasn’t. Lola? Now THAT seemed much more likely – wait…

_Lori_ cooked him breakfast?

Now that struck Lincoln as odd. Now that his father was out of the house, he was the one who normally cooked everyone breakfast. Suspicion immediately began to take over his mind. What were they planning?

As he came into the kitchen, he got his answer.

…

Nothing, really.

Each of his ten sisters was there, all of them except Lisa greeting him with a smile on their faces.

_“Good morning, Lincoln!”_ they all said in unison (except for Lily, who babbled incoherently).

“Um… good morning?” Lincoln was caught off-guard. He had been expecting teasing and mockery, not… _this._

“Well, come on, sit down! You’ve got to start eating now, or you’ll never finish in time!” Lori escorted Lincoln to his seat, and Leni laid his meal down in front of him.

_“Wow…!”_

Lincoln stared in awe at the spread laid in front of him. Two eggs, perfectly cooked over-easy; three slices of bacon, skirting the line between chewy and crunchy; and a stack of three perfectly round, golden-brown pancakes, with slowly melting butter on top.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Leni said. “Like, dig in!”

Lincoln did so, with gusto. He still had his suspicions, but right now, they were being overridden by his hunger. He took one bite, and was lost in a sea of flavor.

“Oops! I almost forgot!” Luan grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge, and poured Lincoln a tall glass. “ _’Orange’_ you glad you’re all _‘juiced’_ up now? Hahahahaha! Get it?”

As usual, Luan’s terrible puns elicited groans from her sisters, but Lincoln was too busy savoring the mouthful to join them, instead nodding, _“Mm-hmm!”_

As he gulped down his first bite, Luna laid a small stack of paper in front of him.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“It’s your math homework, bro,” Luna said.

_“My math homework?!”_ Lincoln bolted up out of his seat. He realized that due to the incident yesterday, he had forgotten to do his homework!

But Luan sat him back down. “Aw, don’t worry about it, Linc! Luna and I _‘divided’_ the problems between ourselves, _‘multiplying’_ our efforts and _‘subtracting’_ from the amount of time needed to finish – all an hour ago, I might _‘add’!_ ” She burst into laughter again, starting another round of groans. When she finished, she wiped a tear out of her eye. “Whoo, man, I’m on a _roll_ today!”

“You… you _did?”_ Now Lincoln was really confused. He looked over his homework. All the work was shown, and all the answers were correct.

“Aw, sure, bro! It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Luna said. “Now go on, finish your breakfast!”

Lincoln couldn’t complain. He happily resumed stuffing his face, but his paranoid thoughts still raced through his mind. _They made me an awesome breakfast, AND they did my homework for me? They’re acting like what happened last night never happened – not only that, but they’re being super nice to me. What gives?_

Lincoln briefly stopped eating and looked around. Each of his sisters were still smiling at him – except for Lisa, who continued to squint curiously at him from behind those big glasses of hers. When she realized that he saw her staring, she quickly averted her gaze.

“What’s wrong, Lincoln?” Leni asked.

Lincoln stared at Lisa for a second longer, then turned back to his food. “…Nothing.”

_They’re planning something. I just –_

His thoughts were interrupted by a foul stench. Lincoln covered his nose.

“Oh… Never mind. Something _is_ wrong…” he said.

  _“Poo-poo!”_

Lily had soiled her diaper.

Lincoln sighed, getting out of his chair, and prepared to do his brotherly duty, but the twins, Lola and Lana, stopped him.

“No, no, no, Lincoln!” Lola said. “You just sit right back down and finish your breakfast – _we’ll_ take care of Lily.”

“Wha – _seriously?!_ You _want_ to change Lily’s diaper?!” Lincoln exclaimed.

“Yeah – I mean, what’s the big deal? It’s not like I don’t like getting dirty,” Lana said with a proud smirk.

“Well, I know _you_ don’t, Lana, but Lola? You… You’re actually doing something selfless for once?”

Lola laughed. “What? Can’t a mean girl be nice to her one and only big brother? Come on, Lincoln, don’t think too hard about it.” The twins walked over to Lily’s high chair, but Lola cringed. “Um, Lana, you don’t mind…?”

Lana obligingly lifted Lily out of her seat. “Come on, Lily,” she said as the three of them headed upstairs, “let’s go get your diaper changed.”

As Lincoln sat back down to finish his meal, his thoughts tossed and turned in turmoil. _Okay – they made me a delicious breakfast, they did my homework for me, AND they changed Lily’s diaper for me?! What gives?! They are going WAY too far to hide their real plans._

He gulped down the last of the orange juice. _Or… do they have any real plans at ALL?_

“Did you enjoy your meal, Lincoln?” Lori asked as Leni took the dirty dishes to the sink.

Lincoln gave a loud, contented belch.

“I’ll take _that_ as a ‘yes’. Well, then…” Lori snapped her fingers, and Lincoln found Luna and Luan at his sides.

“Wha –” was all he had time to say before they grabbed him and lifted him out of his chair.

“It’s time for _one final touch.”_

_They DID have real plans,_ Lincoln screamed mentally. _I just KNEW it!_

Luna and Luan laid him face-down on the table. “Okay, Lynn, we’re ready for you!” Lori called. Lincoln shuddered. If whatever they had planned for him involved Lynn, it couldn’t be good. He heard heavy footsteps, and the cracking of knuckles.

_Ohh… here it comes!!!_

Lincoln shut his eyes… and felt Lynn deliver a series of chops to his back.

…

A series of _soft_ chops, in fact. To his _lower_ back.

Lincoln’s muscles relaxed, and he opened his eyes. “Huh…?”

Was Lynn… giving him a _massage?_

He turned his head to look back, and it turns out, yes, that WAS what she was doing.

“Lynn?” Lincoln said. “What are –”

_“Shh…_ relax,” Lynn cooed. “Let me guess… most of the tension’s in your lower back?”

“Wha…? _Wha…?!”_ At his wit’s end, Lincoln finally snapped. _“Okay, STOP! **STOP!!!** ”_ he yelled, shaking Luna and Luan’s hands off him and jumping down onto the floor. His sisters huddled together, taken aback. Lola and Lana, with baby Lily in Lola’s arms, rushed in to join them.

“Wh… What’s the matter?” Lori asked.

_“What is going on?!_ Why are you being so… so _nice_ to me?” Lincoln said, perturbed.

“You… don’t like it?” Leni asked, in a quavering voice.

“No, it’s not that, it’s…” Lincoln sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Have you all forgotten… what happened last night?”

All of the Loud sisters immediately sighed and laughed in relief, only confusing Lincoln more.

“Is _that_ what this is about?” Lynn asked. “Hey, don’t sweat it, Linc. It happens to everybody!”

Lincoln shook his head. “Seriously, _I don’t get it…!”_

“I think I can explain,” a voice behind Lincoln said. Lincoln, and everyone else, jumped three feet in the air with a shout.

Turning around, Lincoln saw that it was his goth sister, Lucy. _Dang it, EVERY time…!_ he thought.

Lucy pulled out a piece of paper. “I wrote a poem that speaks for all of us. It’s called, ‘Shame’.

_At first, we were filled with laughter/_

_Now we are full of shame._

_We treated it so lightly/_

_As if it were a game._

_But looking back, we realize/_

_We’ve only ourselves to blame._

_We hope you will forgive us/_

_So things will be the same._

_Shame.”_

Lucy lowered the poem and looked at Lincoln, awaiting his response. Lincoln just stood there, dumbstruck. Everything was coming together now.

“So… you’re apologizing?” he said.

Lucy nodded. “Yes.” All the other sisters surrounded her.

_“We’re sorry, Lincoln,”_ they all said in unison.

Lincoln’s heart skipped a beat, and a wave of conflicting emotions rolled over him – he felt relieved, that there was no ulterior motive; happy, that his sisters did all of this to make it up to him; bashful, to receive this much love and attention from them; but most of all, ashamed, for assuming the worst of them. He looked up, and saw them all staring at him hopefully.

Lincoln chuckled softly, wiping the tears from his eyes before they could roll down his cheeks. “Well… apology accepted. I mean, after a treat like this, how could I still be mad?”

_“Awww…”_ His sisters sighed, tears in their eyes. They all gathered around Lincoln, and pulled him in for a group hug. Lincoln wrapped his arms around as many sisters as he could.

“I love you guys,” he said, smiling.

The others smiled back at him. _“We love you too, Lincoln.”_

Lincoln looked around the huddle… and realized that someone was missing. Arching his neck, he saw that Lisa was not a part of the group hug.

“Lisa, aren’t you going to join in?” he asked.

“Yeah, Lisa, c’mon!”

“Come on, dude!”

“Come be a _‘groupie’!”_

“Yeah, what’s your deal?”

“Do it.”

“Come on!”

Despite her siblings’ encouragements, Lisa backed away slowly. “Um, no thank you, s _h_ iblings _h_ ,” she said with that heavy lisp of hers. “I jus _h_ t remembered that, um, my class _h_ is _h_ , um… focus _h_ ing on the color blue today, and blue is _h_ my favorite color, s _h_ o I want to get there early in order to, umm… prepare a pres _h_ entation on that particular... area of the s _h_ pectrum… yeah…” She cracked a crooked grin, and looked away shiftily.

“I thought your favorite color was green?” Leni said.

_“Gotta go!”_

Suddenly, quick as a flash, Lisa darted out the front door. Lincoln scratched his head.

“What’s her problem?” he asked.

“Huh. Don’t know,” Lana answered. “She’s been that way all morning. It’s weird…” She shook her head and sighed. “Oh, well. Classic Lisa, I guess.”

“Yeah, ‘classic’ as in she _literally_ killed the mood,” Lori added. Everyone laughed. That was just like Lisa.

As the laughter died down, Lincoln sighed. “Ah… Speaking of class, though, what time is it?”

Lori looked at the clock. _“Oh my gosh!_ We’ve got to get ready!”

Everyone broke and darted in different directions, scrambling to get ready for school, and the house truly became “Loud”. The girls began to pack their school supplies, do some last-minute makeup application, and/or grab a quick breakfast (as they had spent so much time preparing Lincoln’s breakfast that they had neglected their own), and Lincoln ran upstairs to brush his teeth. After everyone was more-or-less ready for school, they lined up at the front door. As Lincoln reached the bottom of the stairs, each of his sisters eagerly gave him his supplies – backpack, books, homework, and lunch – along with a quick peck on the cheek. They saw him off out the front door, waving and calling goodbye, and wishing him a good day at school the whole way.

Lincoln left the house with a smile on his face and a spring in his step, happier than he had been in a long time. In fact, he could hardly remember why he had been so upset in the first place. As he walked to school, he tried to recall the night prior – and realized something.

_Could it be…_ he thought, _…that my wish came true?_


	2. You Have Five Minutes

School was relatively uneventful. Lincoln went about his day like he usually did – trying to get as much homework done at school as possible, hanging out with his friends during lunch and recess, and ducking bullies. If there was one thing that could be said to have been unusual about the day, it’s that no matter where he went, Lincoln felt like he was being watched. In the classroom, he caught some of his female classmates – and even his teacher, Mrs. Johnson – staring at him more than once; and during recess, he often felt eyes on him, too, but whenever he turned around to look, he couldn’t see anyone. It was creepy, but it didn’t do much to detract from Lincoln’s good mood.

As the school day ended, and they walked home together, Lincoln’s best friend and closest confidant (besides you, of course), Clyde McBride, decided to ask him about his unusually high spirits that he had been picking up on all day. Lincoln, for his part, was happy to oblige, if only to get Clyde’s opinion on the matter.

“…and that’s it. So, what do you think, Clyde?”

Clyde picked up his pace, to walk right by Lincoln’s side. “Hmmm… What did you say you wished for, again?” he asked.

“That my sisters would love me,” Lincoln said.

Clyde sighed dreamily. “ _Ahhh_ … I wish your sister would love me, too.” His eyes glazed over.

“ _Riiight…_ ” Lincoln remembered that his friend had a _huge_ crush on his eldest sister. “Anyway, what do you think?”

 Clyde blinked, and looked askance at Lincoln. “So, you _really_ believe your wish actually came true, huh? What, you think some big-headed fairy or some genie ghost lady overheard you and granted your wish?”

 “I’m serious, Clyde!” Lincoln said. “I mean, sure, at first I had my doubts, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was the only explanation that even remotely made any sense!” His excitement started to take over his speech. “I mean, sure, I can accept that maybe they just wanted to apologize, but if they did, then they probably would have just said ‘sorry’ – no need for that big display! I mean, I appreciate the display and all but, but…” Lincoln took a deep breath, trying to relax. “Sorry, I’m rambling. You see the point, though, don’t you?”

Clyde nodded. “Yeah, it’s weird,” he said. “But then, ‘weird’ is kind of the norm in your family, isn’t it?”

Lincoln had to laugh. “Yeah, it is.”

Clyde walked even faster, overtaking Lincoln and turning around to face him, stopping him in his tracks. “That extends to _you_ , too, Lincoln.”

“Huh? M- _Me?_ What do you mean?” Lincoln asked.

Clyde scratched his chin, squinting at Lincoln. “I just can’t explain it,” he said. “I don’t know what it is, but… there’s something _different_ about you today.”

“Huh?! Different _how?_ ” Lincoln said, looking at himself up and down.

“Well, that’s just it,” Clyde continued, “I can’t place my finger on it. I just _know_ there’s something.” He paused. “…You know there were some other people staring at you today, right?”

Lincoln started to feel uncomfortable. “Yeah. I noticed,” he said.

“They probably noticed it, too.” Clyde shook his head. “Just… I don’t know, man. Something about all this just rubs me the wrong way. Watch yourself, okay?”

“Alright, Clyde, you have _officially_ creeped me out, now,” Lincoln said, raising his hands and laughing nervously.

“Sorry, man, I didn’t mean to. But you wanted my opinion, and you got it.” Clyde sighed. “Well, anyways, enough about the creepy stuff. You got any plans for this weekend?”

“Meh, not really,” Lincoln shrugged. “Unless you call sitting in my room reading comics a ‘plan’,” he said as they came up to his house.

“Well, you wanna come over to my house tomorrow for a game of _Swords & Cyborgs_? I’ve been planning to raid the Clockpunk Tower, but I might need some help,” Clyde said.

“That sounds good! See you at 3?” Lincoln said.

“Sounds like we’ve got a plan, then!” Clyde and Lincoln bumped fists good-bye. “Catch you later, Linc.”

“See ya, Clyde!” Lincoln waved his best friend off, then chuckled quietly to himself. “’Watch myself’… _Why?_ What’s there to worry about?”

Lincoln opened the door… and his sisters were all waiting for him by the doorway.

And they were _very_ happy to see him.

“ _Welcome home, Lincoln!_ ” they all said together.

Lincoln jumped back and yelped, taken by surprise. His sisters grabbed him and pulled him inside, swarming him.

“How was your day?”

“Did you get good grades? I usually don’t…”

“Was class boring? I bet it was…”

“Hear any good jokes?”

“No-one’s been picking on you, right?”

“Did anyone die?”

“Did you enjoy your lunch?”

“Hey, listen –”

“Listen, Linc, could you –”

“I need you for something –”

“Hey! _I_ need him for something!”

“So do I!”

“Well, _I_ asked first!”

“No, you didn’t!”

“Because you wouldn’t let me finish!”

“We’re not bothering you, are we, Lincoln?”

“Do you want a snack?”

“Lincoln, there’s something I need to tell you –”

“ _I_ need to tell him something, too!”

“Well, _get in line!_ ”

“Lincoln, I require your ass _h_ iss _h_ tanc _h_ e…”

“ _Stop butting in!!!_ ”

_FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTT!!!_

A very loud whistle blow had the Loud siblings reflexively standing at attention. Lori was in “Queen of ‘No’” mode.

“Alright, everyone,” she said in an authoritative tone of voice, “clearly, we all have something we want to say to or do with Lincoln. So, here’s what we’re going to do. We are each going to take turns with him. Five minutes per turn to do or say what we need – and _that’s it_. We go in descending order of age – so _I_ go first.”

A chorus of groans and protests rang out from the throng. Lynn stepped up. “Aw, come on, Lori, _no fair!_ How come _you_ get to go first?”

“Because I was _born_ first, and because Mom and Dad left _me_ in charge while they’re gone,” Lori answered smugly. Her icy glare pierced through each sister. “If you don’t like it… then you can take it up with Mom and Dad when they get back. I’ll make sure that they know _all_ about your disobedience…”

The Loud sisters shuddered. As rowdy and rambunctious as they were, they still respected and feared their parents. Lynn fell silent, seething.

“Well… I need to get some stuff ready, anyways,” Luna said.

“Yeah, me too!” Luan chimed in.

“Me three…” said Lola, grumbling.

“Alright, then. Everyone to your rooms – and _wait your turn_ ,” Lori commanded.

One by one, the girls reluctantly obeyed. Each of them whispered to Lincoln as they passed him by – always something like “I’ll see you soon, Lincoln”, or “See you in a bit, Linc”, or “I’ll be waiting for you…” – something that struck Lincoln as rather odd, and unnecessary. Lisa did not whisper to him as she left, though, instead looking at him curiously, the same way she did that morning.

Lincoln didn’t have much time to think about this, however, as he soon found himself being dragged upstairs by the hand, as Lori took him to her room. When they got there, they found Leni sitting on her bed.

“Leni, get out of my room!” Lori snapped.

Leni looked around, confused. “But… this is _my_ room, too…” she said.

“Then _get out of our room!_ ”

And with that, Lori shoved Leni out into the hallway and slammed the door in her face. She sat Lincoln down on Leni’s bed, and sat down on hers across from him.

And they sat there, as one minute passed.

…And as two minutes passed.

…And as _three_ minutes passed.

Lincoln rocked side-to-side in his seat awkwardly, as he continued to watch Lori sit on her bed, face turned away, and drum her fingers on her thigh. The tension was starting to become unbearable. Finally, Lincoln breathed deep, and prepared to break the ice.

“So…” he said tentatively.

Lori jumped. “Wh- _What?!_ ”

“What… did you want to talk about, exactly?”

“O-Oh! Right, so, umm…” She trailed off into silence again. Lincoln was getting impatient.

“Well?”

“Just… Would you _literally shut up?!_ ” Lori said defensively. “I’m… I’m getting ready!”

“’Getting ready’ for _what?_ ”

“ _Getting ready mentally!!!_ ” Lori huffed and puffed, very emotional. Finally, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said, “Okay… now or never, I guess…” She gulped audibly, and looked Lincoln straight in the eyes.

“I… broke up with Bobby.”

More than a few moments of stunned silence followed. Finally, Lincoln found his voice.

“ _You… WHAT?!?!_ ” he bellowed.

“ _Shhh!_ Not so loud, you idiot!” Lori shushed.

“But-But-But-But –” Lincoln sputtered, still reeling from the news. “But… But… _why?!_ You _love_ Bobby! I mean, you _REALLY_ love him!”

“Yeah – I _did_ ,” Lori said. “But I thought it over, and I decided that a long-distance relationship between us just isn’t going to work. Besides…” She averted her gaze again.

“ _What?!_ ” Lincoln demanded.

She continued to face away, but sent quick glances his way now and again. “There’s… _someone else._ ”

Lincoln stared at her, mouth agape. “Someone _other than Bobby?_ Well… _who?!_ Is it Hugh?” he asked.

“No, it’s not Hugh,” Lori said.

“It couldn’t possibly be _Clyde_ , could it?!”

“ _Ew!_ No, it’s not _Clyde!_ ”

“Then who could it possibly be?!”

Lori glared at him, blushing furiously. Then she shook her head angrily. “ _Ugh!_ As if I would ever tell _you!_ ” she said, getting up and grabbing Lincoln by the collar. “Alright, I’ve said what I wanted to say – now _get out of my room, you weirdo!_ ”

Lori hoisted Lincoln off the bed and dragged him to the door. Just before the exit, she stopped. “Oh, by the way, you’re coming with me to the mall later,” she told him.

“What? Why?” he asked.

“To carry my bags, of course! Now, go! _Out!_ ” Lori shoved Lincoln out the rest of the way and shut the door. Lincoln just stood there, dumbfounded.

_What… just happened?_ he wondered.

He felt a tap on the shoulder. It was Leni, still standing in the hallway.

“Hey, Linc!” she said, still as peppy as ever. “So, like, does this mean you’re done talking to Lori?”

“Uh… I _guess?_ ” Lincoln answered.

“ _Yay!_ That means it’s my turn now, right?” Leni bounced her fists together excitedly.

Lincoln composed himself, ready to help his dull-witted sister. “Right. So, what do you need help with, Leni?” he asked.

“Oh! Right…” Leni looked away, twiddling her fingers and blushing. “Um… There’s, like, something I want to say, Lincoln, but I don’t know how to say it…”

Lincoln sighed. _She must have forgotten a word again_ , he thought. “Okay, well, describe it, then!” he said, like he always did when Leni forgot a word.

“Describe it…?” Leni was a little lost. How was she supposed to describe her feelings? “Well, it’s, like… my chest, you know…?”

“Your… chest?” Now it was Lincoln’s turn to be embarrassed.

“Yeah, it’s all… tight, and stuff…”

“ _Ohh_ … Your… _bra_ …” Lincoln forced the word out.

But Leni shook her head. “No, no, not my _bra!_ It’s, like, inside…”

“Oh – _Oh,_ your _heart!_ ”

“Yes! That’s it…”

“Well, okay then, Leni! The word you were looking for is ‘heart’!” Lincoln said confidently (while breathing a sigh of relief on the inside), and turned to leave.

“Where are you going…?” asked Leni.

Lincoln turned back around. “Um… was there _more?_ ”

“ _Yes!_ You, like, didn’t tell me how _you_ feel…”

“Feel about what?”

“What I said!”

“What is there to say…?”

“Like, lots of things!”

“Like _what?_ ”

“What?”

“ _Huh?_ ”

“Huh?”

“ _What?”_

“ _Who?_ ”

“ _Huh?!”_

_“Huh?!”_

_“What?!”_

“ _AHHHH!!! STOP, STOP, I’M **REALLY** CONFUSED, NOW!_ ” Leni cried, holding her head as if it were in pain.

Lincoln massaged his temples in frustration. _Oh, Savino give me strength,_ he thought. “Okay, Leni, okay…” he said, crossing over to the sobbing Leni, “there, there, it’s okay. We’ll get through this. Let’s just start from the beginning, alright?”

Leni lifted her head up and looked at her brother smiling down at her. All of her troubles seemed to wash away. She got up off the floor and wiped away her tears. “Okay,” she nodded.

“All right. Now, what is the problem?”

“I want to say something to you...!”

Suddenly, Lincoln recognized the problem. “ _Ohhh,_ you wanted to _tell me something!_ Okay, alright, my mistake, Leni. My bad. Alright, so, what is it?”

“I… I kinda, like, don’t want to say… I don’t know if you’ll like it…”

“Oh, it’s okay, Leni, just come right out and say it! I can take it – I’ve got a thick skin, you know!” Lincoln said, smiling.

That smile gave Leni all the reassurance she needed. “Okay, then… here goes…” She took a deep breath, mustered up all her courage… and wrapped her arms around Lincoln, pulling him in for a hug.

“ _I love you, Lincoln!_ ”

_…That was it?_ Lincoln thought. He sighed, still smiling. _Classic Leni_. He returned his sister’s hug. “I love you too, Leni,” he said.

Leni gasped. “ _Really?! EEEEEEEE!!!_ ” She released Lincoln, and whipped out her cellphone. “ _O! M! Gosh! I have GOT to tell my friends!_ ” she squealed. She then ran into the bathroom, presumably to both text in privacy and re-apply her makeup.

“…Ohhh- _kay._ So, that was weird, too,” Lincoln said aloud, to no-one really (no, not even YOU). “So then, next is –”

“ _Oi, luv!_ ” Luna shouted from her room, in that stupid British accent of hers. Without warning, she kicked her door open (from the inside, somehow). “ _I’ss moi turn, innit?_ _Come on in ‘ere, an’ ‘ave a listen to moi sweet jams!_ ” Luna jumped out, grabbed Lincoln by the sleeve, and yanked him into her room – all while looking _rockin’._

She seated Lincoln between two giant speakers with the volume turned up to 11, and grabbed her guitar. “Now, sit yerself down ‘ere, luv,” she said, “ _an’ le’ss git ready to ROCK!_ ” She raised her pick dramatically over her head.

“ _Uh-oh_ ,” Lincoln said (to you this time).

He plugged his ears – and Luna proceeded to rock the house.

…Quite literally, actually. Among other things, Lucy’s bust of Edwin fell and broke off its head (though strangely, Lucy did not seem to mind); Lola’s favorite porcelain cup shattered (and Lola DID mind _that_ ); and Lisa nonchalantly stopped a beaker full of volatile chemicals from falling off the table with one hand, while writing notes with the other.

After three minutes of ear-blisteringly loud music blaring right into Lincoln’s ears, the song stopped – although Lincoln could not be sure of that, given that there was still a loud ringing in his ears. He saw Luna’s mouth moving, and figured she was asking him something.

He said, “WHAT?!”, or at least, he _thought_ he did.

Luna repeated the question.

Lincoln shook his head hard, and stretched his jaw, to get the ringing out.

“ _WHAT?!?!_ ” he yelled again. This time, he could hear himself talking.

“I SAID, _‘WHAT DID YOU THINK?’?!_ ” Luna yelled back at him.

“OH! IT WAS COOL!” Lincoln gave two thumbs up. “I REALLY LIKED THE MELODY! VERY PASSIONATE!”

“WELL, OF COURSE I KNOW MY MELODIES, BRO! BUT WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE _LYRICS?_ ”

“THE –” Lincoln blinked. His hearing was almost completely back. “The _lyrics?_ ”

“ _YEAH!_ ” Luna shouted, before she realized that Lincoln was back to using his indoor voice. She cleared her throat. “Yeah, bro, the _lyrics_. What do you, y’know… _think?_ ” She started playing with her paperclip earring.

“Oh, I…” Lincoln rubbed his head sheepishly. “Actually, I… couldn’t make out the lyrics over the music.”

Luna visibly sagged. “Oh…”

“Sorry, Luna. B-But I still liked the song! You _really_ know how to play the guitar!”

Luna blushed. “Aw, _thanks,_ bro!” she said, tousling his white hair. “Hey, tell you what – in that case, why don’t we turn down the volume…” She cranked the dial down to 6, “…and I play you another one?”

“You have _another_ song?” Lincoln said.

“Hey, what can I say? I’ve got a lot of… _inspiration…_ around me.” Luna stole a quick glance in his direction.

“Well, okay!” Lincoln nodded.

“Cool! Alright, here we go…!”

Luna raised her pick dramatically again… but when she strummed her guitar, the sounds were barely audible.

“What the –?!” Luna held up her guitar, then turned to her amp.

Luan strolled out from behind one of the giant speakers, smugly twirling the plug to the amp by the power cord. “Sorry to ‘ _pull the plug_ ’ on your performance, Luna,” she joked, “but your five minutes are up.”

“Wha –?! No, they’re not!” Luna protested.

“Yes, they are. I’ve been counting. ‘ _AC/DC_ ’ you later! _Hahahahaha!_ ”

Infuriated, Luna removed her guitar, unplugged it, and returned it to the stand. As she walked past Luan, she growled, “ _I’ll remember this._ ” Luan just flashed her braces and waved good-bye.

As Luna stormed out of the room, Luan stood Lincoln up and sat him back down over on her bed. “You’ll thank me for this seat,” she said, “because my new material is gonna knock you down!”

_Oh, boy_ , Lincoln thought.

“Okay, so…” Luan began, “there’s a brother and a sister, see? And the sister says to the brother, ‘You can sleep with me in my bed, tonight!’ And the brother says, ‘Are you sure?’, and the sister says, ‘ _I ‘incest’’!_ ” Luan doubled over in a fit of laughter, clearly appreciating the joke.

Lincoln, on the other hand, was appalled. “ _Whoa_ , Luan! That’s a bit, uh… _mature,_ don’t you think?”

Luan came down from her laughing fit. “ _Heh, heh_ … Yeah, well… I don’t know. I can’t explain it, Linc, but…” She sat down on the bed, next to him. “Well, it’s like you’re my _muse,_ you know?”

Lincoln looked at her. “Your… _muse?_ ”

“Yeah! You know, you fill me with _inspiration_ , Linc! When I’m with you, I feel like I could come up with a killer stand-up routine in one sitting! And you… you…” Luan started playing with her ponytail. “You make me feel so… _mature_.”

 “I… _what?_ ”

Luan scooted closer to him. “Lincoln… you know that I’m still a girl, right?”

“Uh… of course I do…”

She scooted closer. “In fact… I’m almost a woman, you know?”

“A woman…?”

Closer. “And I’m more than just a comedian, too…”

“Luan…?”

_Closer._ “ _Much_ more.”

“Um…”

Lincoln tried to scoot away, but Luan entwined her hand with his. “I have feelings too, Lincoln. I care about you. I really do.” She blushed. “I don’t just want to make you _laugh_ , Lincoln. I want to make you _happy._ I want to make us _both_ very… very… _happy_ …”

Luan leaned her face uncomfortably close to Lincoln’s as she said those words. Lincoln pulled back, apprehensive, but Luan caressed his face, putting him at ease…

And then Lynn, being Lynn, jumped in and spoiled the moment.

“ _Hey, guys!_ ” she shouted.

Luan started and bumped heads with Lincoln. “ _OWWW!_ ” she cried, cupping her forehead and wincing, like Lincoln. “ _Lynn! What the HECK?!_ ”

“Sorry, sis,” Lynn said, pointing at a non-existent wristwatch. “Your five minutes are up.”

“Wha –?! No, they’re not!” Luan protested.

“Yes, they are. I’ve been counting. I guess ‘ _time flies when you’re having fun_ ’, huh? _HA!_ See, Luan? _I_ can crack jokes, too!”

Luan stared at her younger sister dryly. “That wasn’t a joke, it was an idiom – _HEY!_ ”

Not listening, Lynn had caught Lincoln’s head in a chokehold, and was dragging him over to her room. “See you later!” she called from the doorway.

“ _I’LL REMEMBER THIS!_ ” Luan declared.

(…)

Lincoln Loud blinked, somewhat dazed. His brain was still somewhat starved of oxygen from Lynn’s cast-iron grip, but now it fully recognized what was happening. He was laying on the floor in Lynn and Lucy’s room, and Lynn had him pinned down – but not in the way he expected.

“Ummm… Lynn?” Lincoln asked. “What are you doing?”

Lynn lifted her head up. “I told you – I picked up some new wrestling moves, and I’m trying them out on you,” she said, and buried her face back into his collarbone.

“Really? Because this feels less like ‘wrestling’, and more like… ‘ _cuddling_ ’.”

Lynn had her arms wrapped around his neck – firmly, but not tightly. She was nuzzling his collarbone, and she had her legs wrapped around his right thigh.

“Well, this is how they did it on TV…” Lynn responded.

“Really? Because I think, even with kayfabe, this would be considered as…” Lincoln stopped short. Some sort of friction was making his thigh very hot. “Uh… Lynn…”

Lynn looked up at him coquettishly. “ _Hmmm…?_ ”

“What is that…?”

“What is _what_ …?”

“ _That._ What you’re doing with your…”

“My… _what?_ ” Lynn suppressed a giggle.

“Your –” Lincoln froze as a strange new sensation creeped up his thigh.

A strange… _moist_ sensation.

“ _Okay,_ _Lynn, you win! Match over! Ding-ding-ding! Now please get off!_ ” Lincoln cried.

Lynn just smiled at him. “ _Why should I?_ ”

“Because it’s my turn.”

A spooky voice startled Lynn – and accidentally made her knee Lincoln in the place that boys do _not_ like to be kneed in. Lynn hopped off of Lincoln, who was now writhing on the floor in agony, in a panic.

“ _O-Oh my gosh!_ S-Sorry, Lincoln! H-Hang on, I-I’ll go get an ice pack!” Lynn said, and darted out the room to the kitchen. Lucy, meanwhile, stood over Lincoln.

“Are you okay, Lincoln?” she asked.

Lincoln sobbed, “ _Where is Lynn’s hand-me-down when I NEED it?!_ ”

After receiving cold ice to apply to his bruised boy parts, Lincoln sat down on Lucy’s bed. He felt up his now-dry pant leg, sniffed his hand, and sighed in relief.

_Thank goodness,_ he thought. _She didn’t really pee on me._

“Lincoln?”

“Hm? Oh, right, sorry, Lucy. What did you want, again?” Lincoln asked.

The young goth pulled out a piece of paper. “I wrote you a poem. It’s called ‘Forbidden’.”

_He is so close, and yet so far/_

_The apple of my eye._

_I know it’s wrong, but it feels right/_

_I often wonder why._

_The more I see him, the more I yearn/_

_To pluck that forbidden fruit._

_If I follow my heart, I know/_

_My mind will follow suit._

_A serpent slithers in my soul/_

_Telling me to bite it._

_It tempts me sorely, day and night/_

_No matter how I fight it._

_I know that he, and all the world/_

_Will know, and disapprove._

_But I will soon be conquered, lost/_

_I’ll have to make my move._ ”

Lucy looked up at Lincoln. “Well?” she asked in her monotone voice. “Did you like it?”

Lincoln didn’t answer. His eyes were shut, deep in contemplation. “ _Wow_ , Lucy,” he said after a while. “Biblical references?”

Lucy nodded. “It’s a great source of dark material.”

“ _Very_ deep.”

Lucy clasped her hands together and squeezed. “So… do you understand?”

“The poem?”

“Yes.”

Lincoln went over the poem again in his mind. He carefully scrutinized each stanza for its meaning. He opened his eyes, as revelation dawned on him.

“You’re in love with a boy,” he said.

Lucy took one step towards him. “Yes.”

“But you’re afraid of what he will think?”

She took another step closer. “ _Yes._ ”

“But you love him, so you’re gonna tell him anyway?”

Another step. “ _Yes…_ ”

Lincoln understood. He reached out to his little sister…

…and gave her a hearty clap on the shoulder. “Well, _good on you_ , Lucy! Way to be brave! I’m proud of you, little sis!” He gave her a brotherly hug.

Lucy did not hug him back. Instead, she hung her head, and said, “ _Sigh_.”

Just then, Lincoln heard a commotion in the hallway. It was time for him to play peacemaker once again. “Uh-oh,” he said. “That can’t be good. Gotta go, Lucy! Good luck with your crush!”

“Thanks,” Lucy said – and after Lincoln left, added, “ _I’m gonna need it_.”

Lincoln ran out into the hallway, and saw that it was the twins, Lola and Lana, bickering as usual.

“ _I’m_ older than you, so _I_ should go next!” Lana shouted.

“Older by a few _minutes_ , maybe, but _I’m_ more mature than you, so _I_ should be the one to go next!” Lola shouted back.

“’More mature’? _You?_ You play _dress-up_ , host _tea parties_ , and to top it all off, you’re a _spoiled brat!_ ”

“And I suppose _you’re_ any better? You dig through the _trash_ , like to play in the _mud_ , and you’ll eat anything that even _looks_ edible!”

“ _I’M NEXT!”_

_“NO, I AM!”_

“What’s going on out here?” Lincoln sighed, the shouting starting to aggravate the oncoming headache.

Lola and Lana turned to him, and simultaneously said, “ _Lincoln, you’re going to play with ME next, right?!”_

“Uh…” Lincoln scratched his head. He recognized the problem with the twins, but couldn’t come up with a solution.

He turned to Lana, who gave him the puppy-dog eyes. “Come on, Lincoln – _I’m_ the older one, remember?”

She made a fair point. He then turned to Lola, who smiled deviously. “ _Lincoln_ …” she said in a sugary sweet voice, before dropping both for a frown and a low growl. “ _You wouldn’t want to make me mad, would you?_ ”

That settled it. “Alright, Lola,” Lincoln said, “you’re first.”

“ _Yay!”_

_“What?!”_

Lana could only shake her head at Lincoln as Lola stole him away from her. “You have no idea what you’re getting into, Lincoln,” she warned.

“ _Quiet_ , you! You’re just jealous because I’m more resourceful than you,” Lola boasted. She tugged on the hem of Lincoln’s polo. “Come along now, dear brother!”

Lola led him into her room, sticking out her head for an important announcement. “We’re having a tea party… _AND NONE OF YOU ARE INVITED!!!”_ She shook her fist angrily for emphasis, and slammed the door.

Lola turned back to her brother with a large, gap-toothed smile on her face. “Please, sit, Sir Linkington,” she said, gesturing to a small table behind him.

“Sir _Linkington?”_ Lincoln looked at the table, and saw that it was decorated with a miniature porcelain tea set, and had small plush animals sitting around it, save for two vacant seats.

_A tea party?_ Lincoln thought. _THAT’S the important thing Lola wanted to do with me?_ He shook his head again – he’d been doing that a lot, recently. _Classic Lola_. Lincoln seated himself at the near end of the table, in a chair much too small for him, while Lola took the seat at the far end.

Lola daintily picked up the teapot. “Would you care for some tea, Sir Linkington?”

Lincoln didn’t like it, but he figured he had to play along, lest he invite Lola’s wrath. “Why, thank you, uh… _Princess Lola_ , that is most gracious of you,” he said, affecting a posh British accent.

“ _Ah ha ha ha…_ Oh, _please_ , Sir Linkington, it’s only part of the duties of a hostess,” Lola said, “pouring” “tea” for the both of them. She gracefully returned the teapot to its resting place, then picked up the “sugar” bowl. “Any sugar for your tea?”

“Oh, no sugar for me, thank you very much, kind princess. I’m afraid I have a most dreadful cavity,” Lincoln replied.

Lola nodded, and placed _one_ … _two_ … _three_ … _four_ … _five_ “sugar cubes” in her cup. As she stirred the “sugar” into the “tea”, she asked Lincoln, “Do tell, Sir Linkington, what _ever_ do you think of me?”

Lincoln picked up his cup, careful to extend his pinky. “Of _you_ , your highness? How do you mean?” he asked, taking a sip of “tea”.

Lola fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Do you find me… _ravishing?_ ”

There was no tea in Lincoln’s cup. He _still_ choked. After a coughing fit, Lincoln sputtered, “Um… Er, uh… w-well, I…” He cleared his throat. “While such is not precisely the… _appropriate_ term for such a handsome young lady, if _that_ is the word that you deem appropriate… then yes, I do find you… ‘ _ravishing_ ’.”

Lola was very pleased with his response. “ _Oh ho ho ho…_ you truly _are_ a perfect gentleman, Sir Linkington. If… if that is _truly_ the way you feel about me... then perhaps you would grant this fair lady the only gift that she desires from such a perfect gentleman as yourself…” She leaned in close.

“ _A noble kiss._ ”

Lincoln mentally rolled his eyes. “Why, my princess, it would be my honor.” He leaned over and pecked Lola on her cheek.

But this was not what Lola had in mind. “ _Mm hm hm hm_ … Oh, Sir Linkington, there is no need to be so _bashful_ ,” she said. “We may do it the way our American cousins do it – _on the lips_.”

_That_ was enough to make Lincoln break character. “O-O-On the _lips?!_ ”

“Indeed. In fact, if we are both feeling so bold…” Lola smiled. “We may do it the way our _French_ cousins do it.”

Lincoln tugged on his collar, laughing nervously. “Uh, Lola…? I-I-I think your five minutes are up now…”

“ _I’m waiting, Lincoln.”_ Lola closed her eyes, and puckered her lips.

Lincoln’s heart was pounding, and he was starting to sweat. If he _didn’t_ do it, who knows what Lola would do to him? But if he _did…_

He gulped. _Well,_ he thought, _it’s just make-believe, right?_

_…Right?_

Lincoln reluctantly closed his eyes, and puckered his lips. He was prepared to just get it over with, and _never_ speak of it again.

…He _was_ , that is, until Lola was pelted by a well-timed mud pie.

Shocked, Lola turned around to see Lana standing there, cackling.

“ _LANA!”_ she screamed. _“What have you done?! My HAIR! My CLOTHES!”_

Lana stuck her big, fat tongue out through the gaps in her front teeth. “ _Mmneh…!”_

_“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!”_ Like a pink blur, Lola bolted out the room, making a beeline for the bathroom.

As Lana finished laughing her head off, she noticed Lincoln staring at her, horrified. “Lana…” he said. “Do you have any idea what you have just _done?!_ ”

Lana shrugged. “Um, _yeah!_ Spent a perfectly good mud pie to save your sorry hindquarters. You’re _welcome_ , by the way.”

“But… But Lola is going to _kill_ you for that!”

“ _Nah_ , I can handle her. I’m her twin sister, after all.”

“I hope so, for _your_ sake,” Lincoln said. “Hey… how did you get in here, anyways? I’m pretty sure Lola would have seen you if you came in through the door, and I didn’t see you come in through the window…”

“This is _my room_ , Lincoln. I know it like the back of my hand,” Lana replied. “I have ways of slipping in and out of here that Lola has no idea about.”

_Creepy,_ Lincoln thought. He sighed. “Well, if you’re here, Lana, then I guess it has something to do with what you want to do with me, huh? Well, it had better be _pretty_ important to be worth angering Lola over.”

Lana went wide-eyed. “O- _Oh!_ Right, um… Uh…” She averted her gaze, holding her hands behind her back and using what few front teeth she had to bite her lip.

Lincoln crossed his arms. “ _Well_ , Lana?”

“Umm… Ah… F…”

“’F…’?”

“F… Fl… Flow- _Flowers!_ ”

Lincoln was unimpressed. “…’Flowers’? _That’s_ what you wanted to talk to me about? _Flowers?_ ”

“No, no! I-I mean, yeah, but –!” Lana shook her head, flustered. “I… I mean, I… wanted… to… give… some… flowers… to… you…” she choked out.

Now _that_ was something Lincoln _never_ would have expected from her. “You… _did?_ ”

“Y… _Yeah!_ See, um, I was, you know, playing in the mud, like I always do, and, and I saw these wildflowers, see? And, and they were so _colorful_ , and p- _pretty_ , and… and they reminded me of y…” Lana froze on the last word.

“Reminded you of _what?_ ” Lincoln asked.

“Y… Y… Yo… _semite!_ Yeah, Yosemite National Park!” Lana said, flashing a grin that was much too wide, and sweating even more than usual.

Lincoln thought it was rather odd, but after some thought, he found that it made sense. “Hmm, yeah, I guess they would,” he said.

“ _So_ … I thought you might… _like_ them, so… I… picked them for you!”

“Oh, really?” Lincoln paused, looking at Lana. “So… where _are_ they?” he asked.

“Where –? O-Oh, _right!_ Um, they’re, uh, somewhere here…” She searched through the many, _many_ pockets of her overalls, dropping tools of every shape and size. Then she looked in the big front pocket, and gasped. “ _Ah!_ _Here they are!_ ”

Lana reached in and pulled out a bouquet of hand-picked wildflowers. She wasn’t kidding when she said they were colorful – Lincoln was blown away by the vibrant natural colors.

“ _Wow…!_ ”

“D-Do you like them…?”

“ _’Like_ ’ them? I _love_ them!” Lincoln happily took the handful from Lana. “Thank you, Lana!”

Lana chuckled. “ _Aw…_ it’s nothing…” she said. Under all the dirt and grime, Lincoln swore he could see her _blushing_.

Lincoln playfully tousled his younger sibling’s… er, _hat_. “You’re a good kid, Lana,” he said. He took a deep smell of the flowers, and sighed contentedly. “I’m going to take these, and put them in a nice, stylish vase!”

As he left the room, he heard Lana call, “I… I just wanted to show you…!”

Lincoln turned his head. “Hmm?”

Lana took a deep breath. “I… wanted to show you… that I’m a girl, too!”

Lincoln cocked his eyebrow. “ _Uhhh_ … I knew that, Lana.” Still feeling confused, he left. As he put the flowers in a vase in the kitchen, he thought about the way his rough-and-tumble little sister was acting. She had never acted _that_ girly in her entire _life_. (Well, she did _once_ , but she was pretending to be someone else.)

Lincoln headed back upstairs. There was only one sister left to take care of – the one who had been acting strange – well, even stranger than usual. He walked up to Lisa’s door, and knocked.

The door opened a crack. He recognized his little sister’s huge glasses immediately. She was staring at him the same way she had been all day.

_Well,_ Lincoln thought. _This is going to be awkward_. “Hey… Lisa?”

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Um… it’s _your_ turn, now, so… what did you need my ‘assistance’ for?”

Lisa stared at her brother for a little while longer, then shut the door. Inside the room, Lincoln could hear the rustling and clattering of lab supplies. After a few moments, Lisa reopened the door.

“I will require a s _h_ mall s _h_ ample of your bodily pers _h_ piration,” she said.

“Huh?” Once again, Lincoln could not understand what his genius sister was saying.

Lisa stepped outside. She was holding a small sponge and a test tube. “I need s _h_ ome of your s _h_ weat.” Immediately, she started dabbing him with the sponge all over.

This took Lincoln by surprise. “Ah, _hey!_ What the –?! _Lisa!_ What is this all ab – _HEY!_ What are you _doing?!_ AH! _Careful! Those are still tender_ … Okay, now – _hey! Wait! Ahahahaha, that tickles!_ _Hahahahaha_ … Okay, stop, _stop!_ _LISA!_ Don’t you think you’ve got enough?!”

Lisa ceased her spongy assault, and squeezed the sponge’s collected fluids into the test tube. There was more than Lincoln expected. He guessed he was still sweaty from his near-kiss experience with Lola.

Lisa examined the sample, and nodded. “This _h_ will be more than s _h_ uffic _h_ ient. Your ass _h_ is _h_ tanc _h_ e was _h_ much appreciated, Lincoln.” She stepped back inside the room and tried to close the door, but Lincoln jammed his foot between it and the frame.

“Lisa, _wait!_ ” Lincoln said. Lisa stared at him again, then huffed and opened the door.

“Why have you been acting so _weird_ , lately?” Lincoln asked her.

“That’s _h_ what I’m trying to figure out.”

Lisa shut the door. Lincoln was prepared to knock again, but he slumped his shoulders. _I guess that’s the closest thing to an answer I’m ever going to get,_ he thought. Shrugging, he turned away. “Well, it was weird most of the way through,” he said to himself, “but that’s it. That’s everyone. Well, everyone except Lily. But what could _she_ possibly need me for?”

…Five minutes later, a nauseated Lincoln dropped yet another soiled diaper into the diaper genie.

“Why did I even _ask?_ ” he asked you. (And I’m guessing you don’t know.)

After dropping off Lily downstairs, Lincoln headed back up to his room. “Okay, _now_ that’s everyone. I’m finished.” He pulled a rolled-up edition of _Ace Savvy_ out of his back pocket. “Which means that from now on, it’s just _you_ , _me,_ and my _underwear._ ” He paused, mulling over his words. “…That didn’t sound right. Oh well.”

But just as Lincoln reached for the doorknob, he felt a deathly shiver flow down his spine. He froze in place, afraid to move.

Because, right behind him, was a _very angry sister_.

_“Where do you think YOU’RE going?!”_


	3. Run, Rabbit, Run

Lincoln turned his head slowly to see the source of the voice, although he had a good idea who it was.

Sure enough, it was Lori.  She stood there with her hands on her hips, glaring holes through him.

 “Uh… to my room?” Lincoln answered.

Lori’s expression didn’t change. “ _Don’t you remember what you promised me?_ ”

Lincoln tried to recall whether he had promised her _anything_. “What…? What, to go to the mall with you?” he said. “I thought you said we would do that _later!_ ”

“ _It IS later!_ ” Lori snapped, tapping her wristwatch. “It’s over _half an hour_ later! Now _come on!_ ”

“But I’m _tired,_ Lori!” Lincoln whined.

“Oh, and you think _I’m_ not tired, keeping this house from falling apart while Mom and Dad are gone? _I_ deserve this, _you_ have to help me, now _let’s GO!_ ”

Lori grabbed Lincoln by the shirt and started dragging him to the stairs. Lincoln briefly lost his footing, dropping his _Ace Savvy_ comic, and began to struggle.

“Lori, _wait…!”_ he said. “ _Ugh…!_ Why do I have to come with you, anyways?!”

“I told you – I need you to help me pick out clothes so that I’ll know what to wear for y – for the ‘ _someone else_ ’ _!_ ” she replied.

That only confused Lincoln. “But… wait, I thought you only wanted me to carry your bags?”

“W-Well… that too, but…!” Lori shook her head, blushing. “ _Ugh!_ Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to, you _weirdo!_ ”

They reached the head of the stairs – but Leni blocked their path.

“Leni, _get out of the way, already!_ ” Lori said.

“Okay, Lori! In a sec!” Leni replied, clueless as ever. She looked past her sister to Lincoln. “So, like, my friends said that because you’re my brother, just because you said you love me, that kinda doesn’t make you my boyfriend…?” It seemed as though she herself was unsure if that was meant to be a statement or a question.

In any case, Lori answered for Lincoln. “Yeah, and they’re ‘kinda’ _right!_ Now, _move it!_ ”

She rudely shoved Leni aside, but before she could drag Lincoln down the stairs, Leni grabbed his hand.

“But… You still feel the same way, right, Lincoln?” Leni asked hopefully.

_Feel the same way about what?_   Lincoln thought. By now thoroughly frazzled, he didn’t really think her question or his answer through. “Uh… _sure?_ ”

“ _Yay!_ ” Leni wrapped her arms around Lincoln’s neck and hugged him. “ _I love you, Lincoln!_ ”

“Uh… I love you too, Leni,” Lincoln said for the second time that day. Suddenly, Lori pried Leni’s arms off of Lincoln, and got right up in his face.

“ _No. No, you don’t,_ ” she snarled. That only confused Lincoln more. What did she mean by _that?_

Just as Lori was about to take him down the stairs again, Luna grabbed Lincoln by the sleeve – and it was at this point that Lincoln’s much-abused polo began to tear.

“Yo, bro!” Luna said. “Lend me your ears, and I’ll sing you a song – and I’ll try not to sing out of key! It’s a love ballad…”

“A… love ballad _?_ ” _Why would Luna want to sing me a love ballad?_ Lincoln wondered.

Lori let go of her brother’s shirt, marched over to Luna’s amp, and twisted all the dials down to zero – just as she was beginning to jam.

“Aw, _what?_ ” Luna complained. “ _Again?!_ Come on _,_ dudes, be _careful!_ This stuff is expensive…”

“Lincoln isn’t going to listen to your loud, annoying music, Luna,” Lori said.

“What?! _Why not?!_ ” Luna asked.

“Because he’s going to the mall – with _me_.”

“Well, why can’t I just borrow him for, like, five more minutes?”

“ _Because I said so_.” Lori smirked, deciding to play her trump card. “If you take issue with that… then maybe I’ll tell Mom and Dad about how you disobeyed me.”

Luna narrowed her eyes. “Oh, so _that’s_ how it is, is it?” She took off her guitar, leaned it against the wall, and stared Lori down. “Fine. You do that… and maybe _I’ll_ tell them about how _you_ abused your authority to do whatever you want.”

Lori wasn’t intimidated. “ _Ha!_ You think they’ll believe _you_ over _me?_ ”

“No, but they might believe me _and_ Leni! Right, Leni?”

“ _Right!_ ” Leni said confidently. Then she looked confused. “Wait… what are we talking about?”

Luna facepalmed.

Meanwhile, Lincoln tried to sneak back to his room, put off by how weird his sisters were acting. But Luan – who was hiding in Lola and Lana’s room, for some reason – popped out and stopped him.

“Hey, Lincoln!” she said. “How do sibling marriages go?”

_Sibling marriages…?!_ Lincoln thought. “…What?”

“ _Without a ‘hitch’! Hahahahaha!_ Get it?”

Lori recognized Luan’s annoying laughter as soon as she heard it. Seeing her with Lincoln, she immediately turned her attention from Luna to her.

“ _Luan!_ ” she shouted.

“What?”

“What are you doing with Lincoln?”

“He looked a little tired, so I thought I’d tell him a joke to raise his spirits,” Luan explained.

“He doesn’t _need_ his spirits raised – least of all by _you_ ,” Lori said, clutching Lincoln possessively. “He’s spending time with _me,_ after all.”

“Oh, _right_ , because _you’re_ constantly thinking about _his_ needs…”

Lori pushed Lincoln behind her. “ _What are you saying?_ ”

Luan shrugged. “Oh, _nothing…_ except that if you were an animal, you’d be ‘ _a little_ _shellfish_ ’ _!_ _Hahahahaha!_ ”

“ _HEY!_ I care about Lincoln _just_ as much as you do!”

“Oh, relax, Lori! Don’t be so ‘ _crabby’!_ ”

As Luan laughed, Lori sputtered with incomprehensible rage, and Luna tried to convince Leni to help her overthrow Lori, Lynn snuck up on Lincoln and put him in another chokehold.

“Hey, Lincoln,” she said, “how about another round of ‘wrestling’? I’ve still got a lot of moves to show you…”

“ _Wrestling?_ Uhhh… You’re not gonna pee on me, are you?” Lincoln asked.

“What? _No!_ ” Lynn scratched her cheek. “Well, _maybe_ …”

“Lincoln.”

Lucy’s unexpected presence once again startled Lynn, who released Lincoln in the shock.

“I wrote you another poem, Lincoln,” Lucy said. “It’s called, ‘Density’.”

“ _Lucy!_ ” Lynn said, incensed. “Would you _stop_ sneaking up on me like that?!”

“It’s not my fault I lack presence…”

“Um, _yeah!_ It kind of _is!_ ”

“Oh, dear. Guys, please – _huh?_ ” Just as Lincoln was about to break up the argument, he felt a gloved hand holding his left one. Upon inspection, it turned out to be Lola.

“Hey, Lincoln, listen,” she said, “I know I can be a mean girl, but… Even when I’m at my meanest, you’re still nothing but nice to me. I just want you to know that… I really appreciate that.” She smiled up at him.

“Wha…?” Before Lincoln could properly respond, he felt a grimy hand holding his right one. Of course, the only person it could have belonged to was Lana.

“Lincoln,” she said, “I know I can be a dirty girl, but… Even when I’m at my dirtiest, you still love me for who I am. I… I really appreciate that, Lincoln.” She looked up at him solemnly.

“ _Hey!_ ” Lola said, tugging Lincoln towards her. “Lana, this is _my_ emotional moment!”

“Come on, Lola!” Lana said, tugging Lincoln towards _her_. “How often do _I_ get an emotional moment?!”

“Back off!”

“ _You_ back off!”

“ _Everyone back off!_ ” Lori yelled. She grabbed Lincoln, pulling him out of the twins’ clutches. “Come on, Lincoln, you’re coming with me!”

“ _Hey!_ ” Luna pulled him away from her. “He’s coming with _me!_ ”

Lynn pulled him away from Luna. “ _No, he’s coming with ME!_ ”

Soon, all the sisters were arguing heatedly over who would get to spend the rest of the day with Lincoln -- and Lincoln, caught in the middle of it all, was as confused as can be. He shouted “ _What is going on?!_ ” out loud – but his sisters were too busy fighting over him to listen to him.

Lincoln backed away from the crowd. He couldn’t say why, but he felt like the situation was somehow becoming dangerous for him. That’s when he felt a crumpled-up ball of paper hit the back of his head. Turning around, he saw that Lisa, peeking out from behind her door, had thrown it. Lisa beckoned to him, inviting her into her room. Lincoln, not knowing her intentions but grateful for the chance to get away from his other sisters, quietly sneaked over and slipped inside. Lisa locked the door behind her.

(…)

“We s _h_ ould be s _h_ afe in here,” Lisa said.

Finally, Lincoln had the chance to see what Lisa had been hiding from him. Looking around the room, though, he found that nothing much had changed. The only major change he could see was that Lily’s crib had been moved, and there was a strange metal chair where it used to be, with a control panel with various switches and buttons on it across the room from it. How Lisa was able to build such a thing so quickly, and without anyone noticing, was beyond him, but he chalked it up to her genius mind.

Lisa pointed at the chair. “Pleas _h_ e s _h_ it there, Lincoln,” she said.

Lincoln gasped. “ _What?!_... Oh, you said ‘ _sit_ ’. Okay. All right.”

Lisa adjusted her glasses. “Yes _h_. What did you _think_ I s _h_ aid?”

“Um… _Nothing._ Never mind.”

Lincoln didn’t know where Lisa was going with this, but out of gratitude for sheltering him, he complied. Lisa walked over and adjusted his sitting position.

“Head back, arms _h_ on the armres _h_ ts _h_ , legs _h_ jus _h_ t s _h_ o… That’s _h_ it…” After she was satisfied with her adjustments, she walked over to the control panel and pushed a button. Metal restraints shot out of the chair, wrapping around Lincoln’s head, wrists, and ankles.

“ _Hey! What the_ _–?!_ ” Lincoln strained and struggled to free himself, to no avail. “Lisa! What _is_ this?!”

“Apologies _h_ , Lincoln,” Lisa said, “but I cannot have you s _h_ quirming for what I am about to do.”

“…What? _What_ are you going to do? …Lisa? What are you doing with that? _Lisa?_ ”

“Hold s _h_ till…”

“ _Ah…!_ ”

Lincoln winced as the needle pricked his skin, burrowed through his flesh, and buried itself in a vein. Lisa pulled the plunger, drawing blood into the syringe, and then removed the syringe, using a cotton ball to blot the small bead of blood forming. She then crossed over to her table, took an empty test tube, and emptied Lincoln’s blood into it.

Lisa opened a small case on the table, and it was packed with pre-prepared pipettes, each filled with an unknown liquid. She took the first one, labeled “1”, and turned to Lincoln.

“Now,” she said, “the experiment can begin.”

She squeezed the pipette gently, dropping a single drop of the liquid into the blood sample. She studied the blood carefully, looking for something, but nothing happened. The blood was much the same as it was before. She put the “1” pipette back, and dropped a droplet from the “2” pipette into the sample. Again, no change. Lisa went down the line of pipettes, carefully examining the blood each time, but nothing ever happened. After using all the pipettes, Lisa sighed and hung her head.

“I don’t unders _h_ tand…” she whispered.

Lisa returned the test tube containing his blood to the holder, and took out another one – the one containing his sweat, from earlier. Once again, she went down the line, dropping droplet after droplet into the sweat and looking for any change. When the “13” pipette was used, the sweat suddenly turned pink, and started bubbling furiously.

Lisa blinked. Then, a jubilant smile appeared on her face. “ _Eureka_.”

“What…? What is it?” Lincoln asked.

Lisa folded her arms behind her back, and adopted a professional expression. “Lincoln,” she said, “I believe I owe you an explanation.”

_You can say THAT again…_ Lincoln thought.

“Contrary to what I s _h_ aid this _h_ morning, I did _not_ go to s _h_ chool to prepare a pres _h_ entation on the color blue, as _h_ you might have guess _h_ ed. In fact, I did not go to s _h_ chool at _all_ , today.”

“ _What?!_ Lisa, you can’t just skip school like that!”

“Sc _h_ ienc _h_ e mus _h_ t come firs _h_ t, Lincoln. As _h_ I was _h_ s _h_ aying, I ins _h_ tead went to the local library to s _h_ tudy the poss _h_ ible caus _h_ es _h_ of our s _h_ iblings _h_ ’ biz _h_ arre behavior. Through a combination of intens _h_ ive res _h_ earch and obs _h_ ervation of our s _h_ iblings _h_ ’ behavior this _h_ morning, I narrowed the lis _h_ t of poss _h_ ible caus _h_ es _h_ down to a few candidates _h_ – and now, thanks _h_ to your help, I have my ans _h_ wer.”

“ _Really?_ What is it?” Lincoln asked.

“Andros _h_ tenone.”

“Andro… what?”

“It’s _h_ a human pheromone.”

“A _what?_ ”

Lisa sighed, once again annoyed with her sibling’s ignorance. “A _pheromone_ ,” she explained, “is _h_ a neurochemical des _h_ igned to trigger a c _h_ ertain res _h_ pons _h_ e in an individual of the s _h_ ame s _h_ pecies _h_ , though not nec _h_ ess _h_ arily the s _h_ ame gender. Are you s _h_ till with me, Lincoln?”

“Yes…”

“ _Thish_ particular pheromone is called ‘andros _h_ tenone’, and it is _h_ a male s _h_ ex pheromone that caus _h_ es _h_ females _h_ to become s _h_ exually attracted to the male s _h_ ecreting it – in this _h_ cas _h_ e, _you_.”

“Huh?! _Me?!_ ” Lincoln exclaimed.

“This _h_ particular s _h_ ample is _h_ highly conc _h_ entrated andros _h_ tenone. _Very_ potent, but only pres _h_ ent in s _h_ mall amounts _h_. It would take prolonged e _x_ pos _h_ ure over an extended period of time to take effect – overnight, if my calculations _h_ are correct (and they always _h_ are). However, onc _h_ e it _doesh_ take effect, it is _h_ s _h_ trong enough to activate the s _h_ ex drives _h_ of prepubes _h_ cent females _h_ , and override the inc _h_ es _h_ t taboo.”

“ _’Incest taboo’? ‘Sex drives’?_ Lisa, _what_ does this have to do with our sis –” Lincoln’s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. Slowly, his mind began to put the pieces of the puzzle together, no matter how badly his heart didn’t want to. “O-Oh… _no_ …”

“Oh, yes _h_ ,” Lisa said flatly.

“Are… are you saying… th-that _they_ … want to have –”

Lisa cut him off. “Yes _h_ , Lincoln.”

“But – But they – B-But we – But – But – But I – W-We – We _can’t_ – I mean – We’re – But – I – Th –” Lincoln spluttered rapidly, his mind a flurry of emotions – mostly shock and disgust. Every single strange thing each of his sisters had done all day suddenly started to make sense – in the _worst_ way possible.

Finally, Lincoln shut his eyes, shook his head violently (or he would have, if he could have), and screamed:

“OH… _THAT’S… **GROSS!!!**_ ”

“Indeed…” Lisa said dryly. “And that’s _h_ not all.”

Lincoln reluctantly cracked one eye open. “There’s _more?_ ”

Lisa held up the “13” pipette. “This _h_ is _h_ a reagent s _h_ ynthes _h_ iz _h_ ed by me, des _h_ igned to react to andros _h_ tenone,” she said. “It reacted to your s _h_ weat, but not your blood. The only logical explanation for this _h_ that occurs _h_ to me is _h_ that, s _h_ eeing as _h_ how the s _h_ udoriparous _h_ , or s _h_ weat, glands _h_ are not a part of the endocrine s _h_ ys _h_ tem, the pheromone originated from an outs _h_ ide s _h_ ourc _h_ e.”

“An ‘outside source’? What ‘outside’ –!” Lincoln gasped as he came to a realization. _My wish!_ he thought. _It’s GOT to be! Ohh, WHY do these things always end up going so wrong, yet also so right at the same time?!_

Lincoln sighed heavily. What sort of mess had he gotten himself into _this_ time? “Well… thanks for telling me all that, Lisa,” he said. “It’s a good thing _you’re_ not affected, huh?”

“I’m afraid you’re quite mis _h_ taken,” Lisa said, as she walked over to the control panel. “I merely wis _h_ ed to s _h_ atis _h_ fy my curios _h_ ity.” She pulled a switch, which caused the chair to convert to a table, stretching Lincoln out flat.

“I’ve been _affected_ the entire time.”

Lincoln’s heart nearly stopped. “… _What_ , now?”

Lisa climbed up onto the table, straddling Lincoln’s chest and bringing her bespectacled blushing face close to his.

“Kiss _h_ me, Lincoln _._ ”

“ _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!_ ”

(…)

Lincoln’s screaming was loud enough to reach the ears of his other sisters, who had ceased their arguing when they realized he was gone and were looking for him around the house. They heard his voice coming from Lisa’s room, and they immediately realized what was happening. Regrouping outside the door, they burst through just as Lisa was about to kiss a very unwilling Lincoln on the lips.

“ _LISA!!!_ ” they all shouted angrily.

Lisa recoiled. “ _Gah…!_ ”

“ _What do you think you’re doing?_ ” Lori growled.

Lincoln smiled. “Oh, good – my other sisters are here!” he said to you.

“ _I love you, Lincoln!_ ” Leni shouted, waving.

Lincoln’s smile fell. “Oh, no – _my other sisters are here!_ ”

“I want him first!”

“No, _I_ do!”

“ _Me!_ ”

“ _MOVE IT!_ ”

Lincoln’s sisters piled into the room and surrounded him, pushing Lisa off of him and yanking him off the table… or rather, they _tried_ to, but his metal restraints were too strong.

“ _Ugh._ How do we get him out of this thing?” Lori said.

“I got this!” Leni walked over to the control panel and started pulling switches and pushing buttons in rapid succession, completely at random. The result was that the chair ended up spazzing out, stretching, squeezing, crushing, twisting, and bending Lincoln’s body and limbs in ways that they were not supposed to while the sisters could only watch and wince.

“Oh, for Pete’s _h_ s _h_ ake!” Lisa pushed Leni away and pressed a big red button that Leni had somehow missed. The chair returned to its original position and retracted the restraints. Lincoln’s relief was short-lived – as soon as he was free, his sisters grabbed him and started pulling him in all different directions, each trying to take him all to herself.

Lucy was the first to get him away from the others as they fought amongst themselves. “Lincoln,” she said, “you are the fire that brings light to my dark soul.”

But Lynn grabbed Lincoln from behind, and although Lucy held on as tightly as she could, Lincoln’s shirt gave way – leaving Lucy holding two scraps of orange cloth. “Oh, _lay_ _off_ , Luce!” Lynn said. She pulled Lincoln in close. “Lincoln wants to be with a _normal_ girl – like _me_.” Just then, she accidentally broke wind. “Uh, _heh heh_ … excuse me,” she said, blushing and trying to fan the stench away.

Luna then grabbed Lincoln’s sleeve and started pulling. Lynn grabbed the other one and held on tight, but it tore off, sending her flying backwards and Lincoln flying into Luna’s arms.

“Ooh, _powdered sugar!_ ” Luna said, running her finger under Lincoln’s chin, turning his head upwards to face her. “How come you _taste so good?_ ”

Freaked out, Lincoln struggled to free himself from Luna’s grip. His other sleeve came off in Luna’s hand, and he stumbled backwards… into Luan’s waiting arms.

Luan hugged Lincoln tightly. “Oh, ‘ _brother_ ’… _Hahahahaha!_ Get it?”

Then Lori grabbed Lincoln by the collar and tugged him away from Luan, who was left holding most of his shirt’s backside. Lori hoisted her brother in the air, kicking and struggling, and brought him up to her level.

“ _Grr_... It’s _you_ , alright?!” Lori confessed. “The ‘ _someone else_ ’ is _you!_ N-now, give your big sister a _kiss_ …”

Lori closed her eyes and puckered her lips, and Lincoln closed and pursed his, whimpering. As she planted a kiss on his unwilling lips, Lana jumped up and grabbed Lincoln by the legs. Gravity did the rest of the work for her, and Lincoln dropped back down to the ground as the tattered remains of his shirt completely fell apart in Lori’s hands.

What followed was a free-for-all, as each sister kissed Lincoln and/or fought the other sisters for the right to kiss him. It was a flurry of kicks, kisses, and punches, but as the dust settled, Luna realized that someone very important had disappeared.

“ _Whoa, whoa, whoa!_ _Dudes! DUDES! COOL IT!!!_ ” she shouted. The girls briefly stopped fighting each other, and as they caught their breath, saw that Lincoln was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did he go?” Luna asked.

The answer: During the chaos, Lincoln had managed to slip out while all of his sisters were distracted fighting each other and run down the stairs. He was now standing in the dining room, his back pressed against the wall bordering the staircase. Lincoln’s face was covered in kissy marks, and he had been stripped down to his underwear.

Lincoln gasped for breath. “… I wanted my sisters to love me,” he told you, “but not like _THIS!_ ”

He heard his sisters calling for him upstairs, and he tried to stay quiet. Suddenly, he heard babbling, and something hugging his leg. It was Lily; she was asking to be carried. Lincoln picked up his baby sister, shushing her. As he tried to listen for his other sisters, he felt Lily plant a wet, sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Lincoln held his baby sister at arm’s length. “Oh, Lily,” he moaned, “not _you_ , too!”

Lily cooed and giggled.

“Hey, did you hear that?” someone upstairs said. Lincoln quickly covered his mouth, but the damage was already done.

“It came from downstairs!”

“Let’s go!”

Lincoln put Lily back down, and decided he could try to slip out the back door and escape. He tiptoed into the kitchen…

…and nearly jumped out of his skin when found his sisters there, having somehow materialized behind him.

Lincoln gulped. All of them were leering at him. He laughed nervously.

They laughed slyly.

He took one step backwards.

They took two steps forwards.

There was an awkward pause…

… and then Lincoln turned and ran out the front door as fast as his legs could carry him, screaming at the top of his lungs. Lynn shouted “ _GET HIM!_ ”, and all of Lincoln’s sisters chased after him with amorous intentions.

Except Lily.

Because Lily was just a baby.

(…)

As Lincoln ran by Mr. Grouse’s house in his underwear, his curmudgeonly old neighbor stuck his head out the window.

“Hey, Loud!” he yelled. “You makin’ a fashion statement, or somethin’?”

“I _so_ do not have time for this!” Lincoln yelled back as he ran down the street, his sisters not far behind. Mr. Grouse watched them go, then shook his head and went back inside, shutting the window. Whatever crazy shenanigans the Louds were involved in this time, it wasn’t his problem.

Lincoln kept running down the street, but his sisters were hot on his tail.

“Lincoln, _come back!_ ”

“Where are you _going?_ ”

“I just want to _hold_ you, Lincoln!”

“Don’t you love your big sis?”

“Come here, Lincoln…”

“Come to me, my dashing prince!”

“C’mon, Linc, it’ll be fun!”

“Just let me kiss you one more time!”

“Lincoln, _I love you!_ ”

“Lincoln!”

_“Lincoln!”_

_“LINCOLN!!!”_

Lincoln started panting. He had a head start on them, but he couldn’t keep running forever, and he doubted his sisters would give up on him anytime soon. If he didn’t do anything, sooner or later, they were going to catch him.

_Oh, why did I ever make that stupid wish?!_  Lincoln thought. And then it hit him. _The wish! Of course! If I can get back to the park, then I can wish all of this back to normal!_ ”

Lincoln looked at the street signs, and knew which way to go. He turned a corner, then jumped a fence, let his frenzied sisters pass him by, then backtracked to the corner and ran in the opposite direction. _That should buy me some time,_ he thought. After a few blocks, however, Lincoln suddenly felt an intense burning sensation in his calf, and he tripped and fell.

“ _OW! Charley horse!_ ” he cried, clutching his leg in pain. As he massaged his leg, trying to get it working again, an old lady walked up to him and grabbed him by the earlobe, painfully pulling him to his knees.

“Young man,” the old lady said, “ _where_ are your clothes? And for that matter, where are your _manners?_ Have you no sense of decency? Honestly, kids these days! So wild and loose and uninhibited…”

As the old lady rambled on, Lincoln saw a cloud of dust being kicked up in the distance – and knew right away that it was his sisters. “U-Um, ma’am?” he said. “Could you _please_ scold me later? I _really_ have to get going…”

But as Lincoln tried to slip away, the old lady grabbed his arm. “Oh, _no_ you don’t, you little _whippersnapper!_ I’m not through with you yet! Honestly, you young’uns have _no_ respect – for your elders, _or_ for yourselves! What with all your premarital, free-lovin’ ways… Why, if I had shown even _half_ as much skin in public as you are now when I was your age, I’d have been called a –”

“ _Hussy!_ ”

“Yes, that’s right – _Huh?_ ”

The old lady turned around to see Lincoln’s sisters glaring daggers at her. “ _You heard me,_ ” said Lori, seething. “ _Get your hands off of him – that’s MY man!_ ”

The other sisters, sharing the same sentiments, jumped on the old lady and began beating the tar out of her. Although Lincoln was horrified by the scene, he dared not intervene. Instead, he started running again, and seeing him go, Lola shouted, “ _HEY! He’s getting away!_ ” Everyone decided that catching Lincoln was the top priority, and ran after him, although Lynn lingered to crouch over the broken old lady on the ground and point at her.

“ _This isn’t over,_ ” she said through gritted teeth, and ran to catch up with her sisters.

Lincoln jumped fences and threw down obstacles, desperately trying to gain distance on his sisters as he began to run out of stamina. As he ran, he went over his plan again. _Alright,_ he thought, _all I have to do is make a wish for –_ Lincoln’s train of thought stopped, as he realized a glaring oversight in his plan. _A coin! I need a coin! Why did they have to take off my pants…?_

He was coming up to a familiar-looking house, and realized it was the McBride residence. Clyde was outside, watering the lawn.

“ _Clyde!!!_ ” Lincoln shouted.

Clyde looked up. “Oh, hey Linc –” He went wide-eyed as Lincoln ran up to him. “Uh… why are you _naked?_ ”

“ _No time!_ I need to borrow a coin!” Lincoln said, hopping back and forth.

“A coin?”

“ _NOW,_ CLYDE!!!”

“ _Ah…!_ O-Okay, _here!_ ” Clyde reached into his pocket and handed his best friend a nickel.

“Thanks!” Lincoln called as he ran away. “ _I’ll pay you back!_ ”

“ _There he goes!_ ” yelled a voice that was very near and dear to young Clyde’s heart.

“L-L-L-LoriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!_ ”

Clyde turned around just in time to see his crush run towards him… and trample him, along with eight of her sisters. As he lay on the ground, he started bleeding from his nose.

And several other places.

Lincoln was starting to get really tired – but he couldn’t give up just yet, as his sisters were closing in on him, and he was almost at his destination. He was coming up to an intersection – and the walking signal was starting to flash red. He used the last reserves of his energy for one final boost, pushing his legs to the limit and crossing the street – just in time. His sisters were not so lucky, and groaned in frustration and disappointment as they screeched to a halt on the curb.

“He’s getting away! _”_ Leni said.

“Thank you for your obs _h_ ervation, dear s _h_ is _h_ ter. Now, do you have anything _helpful_ to add?” Lisa asked sarcastically.

“Hey, girls. Why did the Lincoln cross the road?” Luan asked.

“Huh?” and “What?” were the general responses.

“ _To get to the other side! Hahahahahaha!_ Get it? _Get it?!_ ”

No-one even graced that joke with a groan. “That was weak – even by _your_ standards,” Lucy said.

“ _Aaaaah!_ ” Luan screamed. “ _I NEED MY MUSE! Forget traffic laws, just GO!_ ”

And so the Loud sisters crossed the road to get to the other side – ignoring all the swerving cars, squealing brakes, honking horns, and profane drivers.

Lincoln’s muscles were on fire, and he was starting to see bright colors exploding in his head. He was nearly about to give out… when he saw the entrance to the park just up ahead. _I made it!_ he thought, as he checked to make sure he still had the nickel. Holding it to his chest, he told himself, _Okay – I have to be as specific as possible!_

As soon as he reached the fountain, he sat on the lip and started sucking in air for several precious seconds – he _had_ to catch his breath, or he would faint. When he stopped feeling dizzy, Lincoln stood up, faced the rushing water, and prepared to make his wish.

“ _Lincoln!!!_ ”

A chorus of voices made Lincoln’s blood run cold. He didn’t even bother to look – he just ran as far as the adrenaline boost allowed him, then evaded his sisters by burying himself in the sandbox. He sneaked back to the fountain, then prepared to make his wish again.

“I –”

“LINCOLN!!!”

His sisters had found him again. Using energy that he didn’t have, Lincoln managed to outmaneuver them again – this time by hiding in a baby pram (although the baby’s mother didn’t appreciate it very much, showing her displeasure by walloping Lincoln with her handbag). Lincoln stumbled back to the fountain, and prepared to make his wish _again_.

“I wish –”

“ _LINCOLN!!!_ ”

His sisters were _relentless._ Lincoln was forced to run on empty again, but this time, he was saved by an act of serendipity. As he desperately tried to hide behind the trunk of a tree, he heard Lori shriek. She had stopped the entire group dead in their tracks because she stepped in dog poop, getting it all over her new shoes. As Lori screamed “DOES _ANYBODY_ PICK UP AFTER THEIR DOGS, ANYMORE?!”, Lincoln took the opportunity to slink away.

He reached the fountain a fourth time, practically crawling. He was at the end of his rope, and he couldn’t count on any more strokes of luck. It was _now_ , or _never_. Lincoln gulped down one last breath of air, stood with shaking knees on the lip of the fountain, and shouted:

_“IWISHMYSISTERSLOVEDMEINANON-ROMANTICANDNON-SEXUALWAY!!!”_

**_“LINCOLN!!!”_ **

Lincoln flicked the coin into the shimmering waters, and turned to see his sisters charging at him _en masse_. He stumbled, lost his footing, and fell backwards into the fountain – _inches_ from his sisters’ clutches.

He quickly resurfaced, coughing and sputtering, ready to start running again… only to find his sisters standing by the fountain, confused.

“Wha… What just happened?”

“Where are we?”

“What’s going on?”

“What’s that _smell?_ ”

“Lincoln?” Lori said. “What are you doing in there?”

“Going for a swim?” Lynn joked.

Lincoln sighed. “Guys,” he said, “I have a confession to make. Last night, after… the ‘incident’, I was walking out here, and… and I was so angry and hurt that… I started to think… you didn’t love me.” He hung his head in shame.

“Aww, what are you _saying,_ Lincoln?” Luan said.

“Of _course_ we love you, bro!” Luna said. “I mean, you’re our _bro!_ ”

“Yeah! I mean, we just have a weird way of showing it sometimes!” Lana said.

“We might tease and pick on you sometimes, but at the end of the day, you’re our brother,” Lynn said.

“Our one and only brother,” Lola finished.

Lincoln sighed again. “Thanks, guys. I know that, now. I wish I’d known it last night. But I was feeling so torn up inside that… I came here… and I wished that you would love me.”

“…What?” Lori said. “You ‘wished’? You made a _wish?_ ”

All at once, the sisters burst out laughing at Lincoln, who – considering the alternative – actually welcomed the mockery. As the laughter died down, Leni wiped a tear out of her eye. “ _Ah…_ Lincoln, I know I’m kinda dumb,” she said, “but even _I_ know wishes aren’t real!”

“So do I,” Lola said, “and I’m only six! I mean, come on, Lincoln – if wishes came true, don’t you think I’d be queen of the world by now?” She flipped her long, blonde hair.

All of Lincoln’s reasoning suddenly fell apart. “B…But…” he stammered. “But… then what was all that about, earlier? W-When you were trying to hug me, and kiss me, and – wait, where did the pheromone come from, if not from my wish?!” He shook his head. “Seriously, _I don’t get it…!_ ”

“I think _I_ can explain.”

Stepping up onto the lip of the fountain, Lisa took a test tube labelled “13” out of her pocket, uncorked it, and poured it into the fountain. The water turned pink, and started bubbling. (Lincoln, still sitting in the fountain, felt that it kind of tickled.) “Jus _h_ t as _h_ I s _h_ us _h_ pected…” she said. “The pheromone originated from this _h_ fountain’s _h_ water.”

“’Ferro-moan’? What’s a ‘ferro-moan’?” Leni asked.

“S _h_ imply put, it’s _h_ what made us _h_ fall in love with Lincoln,” Lisa explained. She turned to Lincoln. “Lincoln, did you, at any point in time las _h_ t night, come into phys _h_ ical contact with this _h_ fountain water?”

“Uh…” Lincoln thought back to the night before. “Hey, yeah… Yeah, I _did!_ ”

“Then that explains _h_ everything. Without an individual s _h_ ecreting it, the pheromone was _h_ inert. When you came into contact with it, Lincoln, and it was _h_ abs _h_ orbed into your s _h_ kin, our bodies _h_ were tricked into believing that you were s _h_ ecreting it naturally, caus _h_ ing us _h_ to become attracted to you.”

“Ohhh, _I_ get it!” Leni said, smiling. “Except, like, not really…”

“She’s saying, Leni,” Luan said, “that ‘ _love is in the air_ ’ _!_ _Hahahahaha!_ Get it?”

Lynn smiled at Luan. “That was an _idiom,_ not a _pun_. Wait… how did the pheromone get into the fountain water in the first place?” she wondered.

“I believe I can explain that as _h_ well,” Lisa said. “There is _h_ a chemical factory downtown owned by EROS _h_ Indus _h_ tries _h_. I often vis _h_ it it to purchas _h_ e chemicals _h_ for my experiments _h_. The effluenc _h_ e from the factory flows _h_ through a s _h_ ewer line that inters _h_ ects _h_ the pipeline that pumps _h_ water to this _h_ fountain. Until it can be asc _h_ ertained whether or not there is _h_ a leak in the pipeline, I would haz _h_ ard to guess _h_ that _that_ is _h_ where the pheromone contaminated the water.”

“How do you know all this?” Lynn asked.

“I’ve memoriz _h_ ed the entire Royal Woods _h_ s _h_ ewer s _h_ ys _h_ tem, as _h_ part of my res _h_ earch for my fecal s _h_ tudy,” Lisa said proudly.

“…Wow. You have a _really_ unhealthy fascination with poop, don’t you?”

“Oh… I get it, now!” Lincoln exclaimed. “It wasn’t the wish; it was the _water!_ ” And as the revelation slowly began to creep up on him, his expression turned to one of horror.

“And I… just… dunked my… _whole body… in it…_ ”

Lincoln gulped as he took another look at his sisters. Their faces began to flush, they began breathing heavily, and they all crossed their legs, as though they had an itch. Some of them began to drool. One by one, a smile crept across each of their faces, and they all turned their eyes to their brother. Lincoln shuddered. At first, they had looked at him lovingly, and over time, longingly. But now, there was something fearsome in their eyes – something _predatory_.

“ _Heh… heh heh heh_ …” Lincoln nervously began to back away from his looming sisters, slowly gained his footing in the water, and suddenly, pushed himself up and ran for the southeast-facing side of the fountain – but Luna, Lucy, and Lisa cut him off.

“ _Where you goin’, bro…?_ ” Luna asked.

Frightened, Lincoln backed away, then turned to try to escape by the southwest-facing side of the fountain – but Lynn, Lana, and Lola got there first.

“ _You’re not getting away THIS time…_ ” Lola said.

Lincoln began to panic. He knew he had next to no chance, but it was the only chance he had left. He turned and ran to the north-facing side of the fountain – and sure enough, Lori, Leni, and Luan were waiting for him.

“ _I REALLY love you, Lincoln…_ ” Leni whispered.

They started to advance on him. In utter desperation, Lincoln looked all around for an opening, but his sisters had the fountain completely surrounded. There was no way out. He was out of options, out of luck, and out of time.

Quivering, Lincoln looked at you despairingly, and whimpered:

“ _Help me._ ”

And then his sisters pounced on him.

_“No –! W-Wait! Stop, PLEASE! Don’t – W…What are you doing? Oh, no – no, no, NO! We CAN’T! Please…! Please stop! Please! PLEASE! **STOP! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!...** ”_


	4. The Second Incident

**Author’s Note: Hey-ho, this is the author here, warning you that from this chapter onwards, the fic will start to get serious, or at least try to. Just thought I’d let you know.**

**Also, I’m not a lawyer or a police officer, so I had to do some research. If I made any mistakes here, I apologize.**

**I’m Captain Dodge – thank you, and have a nice day!**

~~~BREAKING NEWS~~~

“Welcome back to Channel 3 News at 9, with me, Thom Teller. If you’re just joining us now, the quiet town of Royal Woods was shocked today by a brutal display of sexual violence, in broad daylight, at a public park. Rhea Porter with Channel 3 News is live at the scene. Rhea?”

“Thom, I’m here at Ketcham Park where families gathered this afternoon for family-friendly fun – but what they found was _anything_ but family-friendly. It was here, just an hour ago, that a horrific gang-rape occurred. One witness captured the shocking scene on his cellular phone.”

_(CAPTION: RECORDED FOOTAGE OF INCIDENT)_

_MAN: Is that…? Are they –?!_

_WOMAN: Oh… my God!_

_MAN: What the [BLEEP]?!_

_(Zoom in on the fountain, heavily pixelated, among other similar cries of shock and disgust from onlookers)_

_LORI: Come on! [BLEEP] me, Lincoln! [BLEEP] me hard!_

_LINCOLN: Someone! Please hel – MMPH!?!_

_LUNA: Less talking, more licking, bro!_

_CHILD: Mommy, what are they doing?_

_WOMAN: Don’t look, sweetie!_

“While some bystanders contacted the authorities, others sprang into action.”

_MAN: Someone call 9-1-1!_

_MAN: Forget THAT! We’ve gotta stop this! Come on!_

_LISA: NO! SHTAY BACK! The pheromone… it’sh TOO SHTRONG!_

_MAN: What? What “pheromone”? What is she talking about?_

_MAN: Forget it, she’s crazy! They’re ALL crazy! Just get in there!_

_LISA: No…! G-GIRLSH! THEY’RE TRYING TO TAKE LINCOLN AWAY!_

_GIRLS: WHAT?!?!_

_(As the men climb into the fountain, the girls attack them.)_

_LENI: GET AWAY FROM MY LINCOLN!!!_

_LYNN: BACK OFF! HE’S MINE! **MINE!!!**_

_MAN: Ahh! [BLEEP]! What the [BLEEP]?!_

_MAN: Jesus [BLEEP]!!!_

“The would-be heroes retreated back into the crowd bruised and bloodied, but their ordeal wasn’t over just yet…”

_WOMAN: Honey! Are you all right?_

_MAN: I’m fine… God, those girls are like animals! What the [BLEEP] is going on?!_

_WOMAN: I… I don’t know… Ah…_

_MAN: Jeez… Well, are the police coming? ...Honey? Honey, what’s the – Hey?!_

_(The woman falls to her knees, and starts tugging at her husband’s pants.)_

_WOMAN: Oh, baby… I love you…_

_MAN: Marie, what are you doing?! We’re –_

_WOMAN: I NEED you…_

_(The man backs away, and another woman grabs him.)_

_WOMAN: I need him MORE!_

_MAN: Hey! Who – get off of me!_

_(Other bystanders pull the women off of the man, kicking and screaming. Camera pans out, zooming in on the two men who also stepped in the fountain, having the same problem.)_

_LISA: Pleashe, everyone! SHTAY OUT OF THE WATER!!!_

“When the police arrived, bystanders informed them of the danger. After verbal commands garnered no results, and after reviewing the situation, the officers were forced to call in riot control. One witness describes the harrowing ordeal.”

_(CAPTION: WHITNEY SULLIVAN, 28)_

“I just… we didn’t know what to do, we saw what happened to those guys who tried… The police came, and they didn’t know what to do, they thought the same thing might happen to them, and then… We couldn’t do anything, all we could do was sit, and wait, and watch as that poor boy cried and begged for help, and the girls just kept taking turns…”

“Riot police flushed the assailants and victim out of the fountain with tear gas, then moved in to arrest them. Some, temporarily incapacitated by the gas, were subdued immediately; others fought back, and were subdued with batons; one managed to grab hold of the victim.”

_(Luan, surrounded by riot control officers wearing gas masks, holds a limp and traumatized Lincoln by the neck.)_

_POLICE OFFICER: Miss, let the boy go, and put your hands on your head, or we will be authorized to use non-lethal force!_

_LUAN: NO! NEVER! He’s MINE! **MINE!!!** You’ll never take him from me! If I can’t have him, you can’t EITHER!_

_POLICE OFFICER: Alright, we warned you! DROP HER!_

_(A police officer fires a Taser at Luan from behind, causing her to release Lincoln and collapse to the ground, convulsing in pain.)_

“As if this incident were not shocking enough, both the assailants and the victim have been identified as part of the local Loud family – the unfortunate victim is eleven-year-old Lincoln Loud, and the assailants are nine of his ten sisters, all of whom are underage. As the Loud sisters were arrested, the youngest, four-year-old Junior Nobel laureate Lisa Loud, had this to say.”

_(Lisa and her sisters are being led to a police van, some of them still struggling. As a police officer reads them their Miranda rights, Lisa turns to yell at the camera (a news camera this time).)_

_LISA: No, WAIT! You don’t undershtand! It’sh not our fault! The pheromone! EROSh Indushtriesh! Check the shewer linesh! It’sh not ush! IT’SH THE WATER –!_

_(The police throw Lisa in the police van with the rest of her sisters, and slam the door on her.)_

“The police are currently investigating the matter of EROS Industries and their connection to this case, and sewer workers are inspecting the pipelines below the park. In the meantime, the park has been closed down, and the Loud children are in police custody until it can be determined whether or not they can be held responsible for their actions. Reporting live from Ketcham Park, I’m Rhea Porter, Channel 3 News. Back to you, Thom.”

“Thank you, Rhea, and let’s hope we can get to the bottom of this mystery soon. Speaking of mysteries, a senior citizen was found apparently beaten to death on a city street today – no witnesses or suspects in sight. Film at 11.”

(…)

“A-Are we almost there?” Mrs. Loud asked.

“Almost,” Mr. Loud replied. They had started driving as soon as they heard what happened, but it was a three-hour drive, and their car, “Vanzilla”, had seen better days.

“Well, can’t you go any faster?” Mrs. Loud asked for the hundredth time.

Mr. Loud sighed and turned to his wife. “Honey, I’m going as fast as I can. Wh-What do you want, I can’t go over the speed limit! Do you want _us_ to be in prison, too?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Mr. Loud knew it was the wrong thing to say, but it was too late. Mrs. Loud broke down crying. “Oh, no, no, no…” he said. “L-Look, Rita? I’m sorry, alright? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry, I’m… I’m just on edge, you know?”

Mrs. Loud sniffled, wiping her eyes. “I… I just can’t believe this is happening…”

Although she had said that a hundred times earlier as well, Mr. Loud still hung his head. “Me either, honey. Me either.”

Finally, they came to the police station. Mr. and Mrs. Loud jumped out of the van and rushed inside, anxious to see their children. The clerk at the front desk directed them to the back, where a balding, nervous-looking man in a business suit and a young but stern-looking detective were arguing.

“…How can you say that? Do you have _any idea_ what this family must be going through?!”

“Well, I’m _sure_ it’s not easy for them, but that’s not my main concern right now.”

You know, people like _you_ are the reason that no-one likes lawyers.”

“Excuse _me_ , sir, but it’s my _job_ to work in the best interests of my employers–”

“Yeah, yeah, can it, already,” the detective said, seeing Mr. and Mrs. Loud approaching. “I assume you’re Mr. and Mrs. Loud?”

“Yes, that’s us!” Mr. Loud answered. “Now where are –”

The man in the suit stepped forward, cutting him off. “Excuse me, Mr. Loud,” he said, shaking his hand, “I’m Peter van Zandt. I represent EROS Industries.”

“Uh… okay?” Mr. Loud said.

Mr. van Zandt stopped shaking his hand, and adjusted his glasses. “I just want to let you know, Mr. Loud, that EROS Industries claims _no_ responsibility for this incident, and we hope –”

Disgusted, the detective roughly shoved Mr. van Zandt aside. “Yeah, well, you can ‘claim’ whatever you want, but whether or not it’s _true_ remains to be seen.” He looked at Mr. and Mrs. Loud, and cleared his throat. “I’m Detective Patrick Flanagan… the Fifth,” he added reluctantly. “I’m in charge of this case. I’m gonna need you to answer a few questions.”

“What questions? _Please_ , officer, we just want to see our children…” Mrs. Loud said.

“All in good time, Mrs. Loud. Don’t worry,” Detective Flanagan reassured her. “Follow me, please.”

Detective Flanagan led the parents through the police station, Mr. van Zandt following closely behind. “So, tell me, do any of your girls have any, ah… _mental health issues_ that you’re aware of?” he asked.

“What? _No!_ ” Mr. Loud said indignantly. Sure, Leni might be a bit slow, but he was sick of people assuming that that was because she was mentally disabled.

Mr. van Zandt pressed forward. “Then,” he said, “they were fully aware of what they were doing?”

Detective Flanagan waved his hand through the air, cutting him off. “Pardon me, Mr. van Zandt, but _I’m_ asking the questions, here.” He turned back to Mr. and Mrs. Loud. “Then, you have no idea what might have brought, ah… all _this_ on?”

“No, not at all!” Mrs. Loud said.

“I see. Well then, whatever it is, it didn’t originate from them,” the detective said.

“N-Now, Detective, we can’t be _sure_ about that,” Mr. van Zandt said. “I mean, they are the girls’ _parents_ , after all – of course their information would be _biased_ –”

“Would you kindly _shut up, already?!_ ” Detective Flanagan said to him. “And you know, for your information, Mr. van Zandt, whatever came over _them_ , came over other women at the scene, too. One of the girls claimed that it was the water – until we can verify the truth of that claim, or at least what was meant by it, let’s not jump to any conclusions, okay?”

The group came to the holding cells. Detective Flanagan took four gas masks from the guard, handed three to Mr. van Zandt and the Louds, and said, “Now, everyone, before we go in there, I’m going to need you to wear these.”

“What? Why?” Mr. Loud asked.

“Well, whatever is causing the girls’, ah… _agitated states_ , it appears to be airborne. So, until we can figure out exactly what it is, we have to protect ourselves.” After everyone had put on their masks, the detective added, “Oh, and one more thing… Mr. and Mrs. Loud? I’d ask you to prepare yourself. You’re… probably not going to like what you see in there.”

Mrs. Loud looked to be on the verge of crying. Mr. Loud comforted her. “There, there, honey… it’s alright.” He nodded at Detective Flanagan. “We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

Detective Flanagan nodded back, and opened the door.

He was right – the two senior Louds _didn’t_ like what they saw.

The sisters had been crowded into a closely-guarded large cell at the far end of the room – and they were acting like rabid animals. They were completely naked, yelling and screaming, crowding against the bars and reaching through them, shaking them, tugging on them, even _gnawing_ on them in a desperate attempt at freedom. The guards reprimanded them harshly, whacked the bars with batons, and brandished stun guns threateningly to make the girls back off – but they just kept coming back to try again.

And all of them were demanding to know where Lincoln was.

Mrs. Loud nearly collapsed to her knees. “Oh… God…”

Mr. Loud supported her, though he was just as appalled at what he saw. Turning to Detective Flanagan, he asked, “Where are their _clothes?_ ”

“We gave them some, but they refused to wear them,” Detective Flanagan answered. “They’re just, ah, too intent on getting out and finding their brother, I guess.”

Mrs. Loud stood up straight and rushed out of her husband’s arms towards her daughters. Though Detective Flanagan tried to warn her how dangerous it was, she removed her mask and came close to the girls’ grasping arms, trying to speak to them.

“Girls, what – _Oh_ … G-Girls? It’s alright, Mommy’s here,” Mrs. Loud said. “Girls? Girls, calm down. Girls, it’s _me_ , your mother! Leni, sweetie, don’t you remem – _AH!_ ”

Mrs. Loud had gotten close enough to the cell for Leni to grab hold of her. Yanking her into the bars, Leni – sweet, innocent Leni – glared at her mother with crazed eyes.

“ _WHERE’S LINCOLN?!_ ” she snarled. “ _I KNOW HE’S HERE! WHERE IS HE!?!_ ”

The guards intervened, pulling a screaming Mrs. Loud away from Leni and beating her arms with a baton until she let go. Sobbing, Mrs. Loud returned to her husband, who cradled her in his arms.

“My God…” Mr. Loud said. He stared at his daughters despairingly for a long time, then took a deep breath. “Please tell me, Detective, are… are my daughters going to go to jail?”

Mr. van Zandt spoke up again. “If I may be frank, Mr. Loud… in all likelihood, _yes_.”

As Mrs. Loud sobbed even harder, Detective Flanagan sharply added, “ _Unless_ it can be proven that they were all unable to reason when they committed the crime.”

“’Unable to reason’…?! _Look at them!_ They are _completely out of their minds!_ ” Mr. Loud shouted.

“W-Well, but…” Mr. van Zandt stammered. He pointed at Lori, who, unlike the others, was leaning against the wall. “W-What about _her?_ _She_ doesn’t look like she’s out of her mind!”

As Mr. and Mrs. Loud looked at their eldest daughter, a secretary poked her head in through the door. “Detective Flanagan,” she said, “we have an update from Forensics.”

“Be right there,” he said. “Mr. and Mrs. Loud, I’m sure you must want to talk to your daughter. Please, if she says anything that sounds important, would you let me know?” As he left the room, he added, “And Zandt, at least _try_ to show a little sensitivity, hm?”

The lawyer arrogantly fixed his tie. “It’s _van_ Zandt,” he muttered.

Mr. and Mrs. Loud carefully moved towards the cell, avoiding the others.

“Um… Lori?” Mrs. Loud said.

Lori looked up, unabashed at her own immodesty. “Hey, Mom and Dad.”

“Don’t… Don’t ‘ _hey_ ’ us, young lady!” Mr. Loud said. “Lori, you… I thought you said we could count on you while we were gone! Th-That you would keep everything under _control!_ But-But-But, we get a call from the _police_ , and you… and you all…” He looked at Lori, tears in his eyes. “You… You were just as much a part of it as everyone else…”

Lori shrugged. “Hey, _sorry,_ it’s not like I could help myself.”

“Lori…” Mrs. Loud wiped her eyes. “What… What _happened?!_ ”

 “Oh, there was something about a pheromone in the water,” Lori said. “Something about it leaking into the fountain through the pipes in the sewers? Lisa figured it out – she could tell you more, but…” She pointed at Lisa, who was battering her small body against the cell door.

“Miss Loud,” Mr. van Zandt said, “back at the park, did you hear your brother telling you to stop?”

“Um, _yeah_ , he was _literally_ screaming it.”

“But you continued anyway?”

“Yeah, I mean, it’s not like I cared.”

Mr. van Zandt smugly adjusted his glasses. “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Loud, as you can see, your daughter is clearly of sound mind, and she has just admitted that she had committed rape. I’d say _that_ , at least, is quite damning.”

“ _What?!_ W-Wait, how do you know she’s of sound mind?” Mr. Loud asked.

“Well, as you can see, she isn’t trying to break free, like the others…”

“Who, _me?_ ” Lori said. “Oh, no, I’m just taking a break.” She stopped leaning against the wall, and quickly joined her sisters in furiously pulling at the bars, yelling for Lincoln. Her parents turned to glare at Mr. van Zandt, and he went right back to fidgeting.

Detective Flanagan re-entered the room. As the commotion assaulted his ears again, he shook his head. “Sheesh, you put up with this _every day?_ ” he shouted to Mr. and Mrs. Loud.

“It’s not always _this_ bad!” Mr. Loud shouted back.

“Maybe you should’ve considered condoms… Well, if you’re done here, I’d like to ask you some more questions!”

Knowing there was nothing they could do to help them, Mr. and Mrs. Loud reluctantly left their daughters in their cage, with Mr. van Zandt following closely behind. Detective Flanagan led them through the station to the other side, reading the updated case file.

“So,” he said, “did any of the girls tell you anything?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Loud said, and repeated what Lori had told them. Detective Flanagan slowly looked up from the file and at Mrs. Loud, in wonderment.

“… _Really_...” he whispered.

“What? _What is it?_ ” Mr. Loud asked.

“Well… it’s just that, that matches up _astonishingly_ well with our latest report from the lab,” the detective said. He flipped back through the case file. “…Wait. You say it was ‘Lisa’ that figured this out?”

Mrs. Loud nodded. “Yes… why?”

“ _Son of a bitch_ …” Detective Flanagan chuckled to himself. “Smart girl… you beat us to it…” He looked at Mrs. Loud. “Now, Lisa is the little one, with brown hair, smart for her age, yes?”

“Y-Yes – _please_ , detective, what are you getting at?” Mrs. Loud asked.

“Well, Lisa was the one who gave us the formula for a reagent that tests for androstenone, a male human sex pheromone that causes sexual attraction in females,” the detective explained.

“Wait, wait,” Mr. van Zandt interrupted. “She _gave you the formula?_ As in, shared it with you, verbally?”

Detective Flanagan sighed. “ _Yes_ , Zandt, she _did_.”

“Well, th-that means she _must_ be reasonable, then! To be able to do something as complicated as that…”

“’Reasonable’? Mr. van Zandt, you saw Lisa back there! You know she was acting just as crazy as the others!” Mrs. Loud exclaimed.

“That’s right – I saw it, too,” Detective Flanagan said. “She’s just as affected as the rest of them, Zandt – her mind just happens to still have _some_ semblance of clarity. More than the others, at least…”

Mr. Loud nodded. “That sounds like Lisa…”

“Anyways, like I was saying, she told us how to cook up the reagent, and as it so happens – oh, wait, there’s something I forgot to tell you. The sewer workers just got back to us, and they said that there is indeed a leak in the pipe that pumps water to the park fountain. In addition, they reported that some of the female officers became attracted to them suddenly – despite, ah, you know… _coming out of the sewers_.”

“And… _so?_ ” Mrs. Loud asked.

“ _So,_ they collected some sewage samples, and sent them to the lab. The Forensics guys mixed up your daughter’s reagent and tested it on the samples – and lo and behold, they reacted. Basically, Mr. and Mrs. Loud, your four-year-old daughter cracked the case _long_ before _we_ did.” He chuckled again. “Maybe she should start a career in law enforcement… The _kicker_ , here, is that that sewer line connected to a chemical factory downtown – _owned by EROS Industries_.” Detective Flanagan stared right at Mr. van Zandt.

Mr. van Zandt tugged at his collar, sweating profusely. “S-S-So, _what?_ ” he stuttered. “W-W-W-What are you implying?!”

“Oh, I think you and I _both_ know what I’m ‘ _implying_ ’, Zandt. Stop trying to squirm your way out of this.” The detective closed his eyes, frowning. “You know… you haven’t even seen the boy, yet.”

“The boy…?” Mr. and Mrs. Loud went wide-eyed, and looked at each other. They had completely forgotten…!

“ _Lincoln!_ ”

Mr. Loud, feeling immensely guilty, rushed up to Detective Flanagan. “Please, detective, _where is he?_ ”

They had come to a dark hallway at the other end of the station, which the detective gestured towards. “He’s down there,” he said. Before Lincoln’s parents could rush down to see him, though, he stopped them. “Ah, ah, ah… I know you’re worried, but you both need to put your masks back on before you see him. I know the lab boys said the pheromone doesn’t affect males, but I say better safe than sorry.”

They quickly put their masks on, and ran to the end of the hall, where Lincoln was sitting in an isolated, barren cell, guarded by two officers in masks. He was sitting on the floor, knees pulled in to his chest. His face was buried in his lap, and despite being wrapped in a blanket, he was still shivering.

Mr. and Mrs. Loud approached slowly. “L… Lincoln?” Mr. Loud said.

Lincoln flinched at the sound of his voice, and curled up tighter, shivering harder.

“Lincoln, sweetie, it’s _us_ , Mom and Dad,” Mrs. Loud said tenderly.

Slowly, Lincoln lifted his head, and looked at his parents. He stared at them almost lifelessly, his eyes dull.

“M… Mom…? Dad…?”

“That’s right, sweetie, we’re here now. Everything’s all right…” Mrs. Loud reassured him. Suddenly, she turned to Detective Flanagan in a rage. “ _Why is HE in a cell?!_ ” she demanded.

Detective Flanagan cleared his throat. “Well, we sat him in the chief’s office,” he explained, “but the female officers started trying to, ah… _get to him_ , so for his safety, we put him in a holding cell. We put him as far away from his sisters as we could, but just seeing him drove them even crazier than before. One of them, one of the tall blonde ones, used a bobby pin she’d hidden in her hair to pick the lock to the cell, and they all broke loose. They almost got to him before we were able to take them down and lock them back up. So now, he’s here, in solitary.”

Lincoln shut his eyes. He remembered it more clearly than he wanted to – his sisters at the door to his cell, looking at him with those same predatory eyes; and him trapped inside, with no way out… He was grateful that the cops had stopped them, and moved him away from them, but the quiet, lonely cell, with no-one around but the two faceless guards, wasn’t much of an improvement.

Mr. Loud looked at Detective Flanagan. “…What’s going to happen to him?” he asked.

The detective scratched his head. “Well, I can’t say for sure, but I imagine he’ll be placed in quarantine until the pheromone wears off.”

“’Wears off’…? Why can’t you just hose him off, or scrub him down, or…?”

“Oh, we’ve _tried. Three times._ ” Detective Flanagan jerked his head back the way he had come, towards the main holding cells. “They can still smell him from across the station. Now, I’m not an expert, but I’d say that’s because the pheromone has saturated his skin, what with him, ah… _bathing_ in it for over half an hour. So, he’ll probably have to be quarantined until it leaves his system.”

“How long will _that_ take?”

“Oh, I don’t know – about a month-and-a-half would be my guess.”

“A _month-and-a-half?!_ ”

“Well, given that that’s more or less the length of time it takes for a layer of skin to completely shed, yes. It’s just to be safe.” When Detective Flanagan caught Mr. Loud staring at him, wondering how he knew this, he smiled and added, “I wanted to be a biology teacher, but, ah… policing is kind of the family business.”

Mr. Loud shook his head. “We’re not going to leave him alone,” he said. “Not _now_ – when he needs us the most. He can’t be cooped up in some sterilized chamber, all alone – he needs to be someplace _familiar_ – someplace he feels safe, with people who can take _proper_ care of him; people that he _trusts_.”

“Really? Because…” The detective jerked his thumb back. “He trusted _them_.”

“W-Well…” Mrs. Loud shook her head. “Th-This is _different!_ We’re his parents – we would _never_ hurt him like that!” She took her mask off – she needed Lincoln to _know_ it was her, his mother. Mr. Loud, seeing this, removed his mask as well.

“Sir?! Ma’am?! I-I’m going to need you to put your masks back on!” Detective Flanagan said.

But Mrs. Loud didn’t listen. She beckoned to Lincoln. “Lincoln, come here, sweetie…”

Lincoln stared at her, not moving an inch.

“Come on, honey, it’s _me_. It’s _Mommy_. I won’t hurt you. Come here…”

Lincoln took a deep breath, and slowly stood up. He took one shaky step toward his parents.

Mrs. Loud gingerly reached through the bars, beckoning him closer. “Do you want to go home, Lincoln?”

“H…Home…?” Lincoln took another step forward.

“That’s right. We can go home, and this bad day will all be over.”

Lincoln liked the sound of that. He took another step.

Mrs. Loud blinked. Something strange was coming over her. “And… And if you’re still feeling scared, you can sleep with Mommy and Daddy, in our room…”

Another step forward. Lincoln was just within reach.

Mrs. Loud began to look at her son in a new way – somehow, he was just _overpowering_. “Or… Or maybe…” She reached out to her son…

…And pulled him hard, slamming him into the bars. She brought her face uncomfortably close to his, wearing a manic grin. “Maybe Mommy can sleep with _you_ , in _your_ room tonight. _Doesn’t that sound like fun, sweetie?_ ”

Lincoln realized immediately what was happening, and screamed. “ _No! NO! Nonononononono…._ ”

Lincoln’s guards jumped forward and, along with Mr. Loud, forced Mrs. Loud to let go of him. Lincoln scrambled backwards, into the farthest corner of his cell, and curled back into a tight ball while the officers restrained his mother.

“ _Mommy loves you, Lincoln_ ,” Mrs. Loud said. “ _Mommy loves you very, VERY much…_ ”

Mr. Loud turned to Detective Flanagan. “Sir, could you do me a favor, and lock up my wife, too?”

Detective Flanagan nodded. “Can do.”

He walked over to Mrs. Loud, still struggling with the guards, and cuffed her hands behind her back.

“ _What are you DOING?!_ ” Mrs. Loud protested. “ _I didn’t do anything wrong!_ ”

“We _know_ you didn’t, Mrs. Loud, but this is for your own good, and for the good of your son.” Detective Flanagan turned to the guards. “Put her with the others.”

As the guards dragged a screaming Mrs. Loud away, Mr. Loud turned back to his son. “Okay, Lincoln,” he said, “your mother is gone. You can come with _me_ , now.”

Lincoln remained where he was, still curled up, determined not to fall for that trick again.

“Lincoln, the pheromone isn’t affecting me. It’s safe. I promise you, _you can trust me_.”

Lincoln didn’t budge.

Mr. Loud sighed, and changed tactics. “Well, it’s your choice, son. You can come home with me… or you can stay here with _them_.”

Lincoln’s head shot up. He scrambled to his feet, ran up, and shook the cell door, whimpering.

Mr. Loud nodded at Detective Flanagan. “Let him out.”

Detective Flanagan opened the door, but Lincoln stood in the doorway, uncertain.

Mr. Loud beckoned gently. “Come on, son,” he said. “Let’s go home.”

Slowly, Lincoln stepped out of his cell, and joined his father, who hugged him gently. Detective Flanagan walked up to the two of them.

“Now, Mr. Loud,” he said, “if you _are_ going to take Lincoln home, then I must insist that he _does not have any contact with females, whatsoever_. Also, keep your doors and windows closed and locked at all times.”

“Why?” Mr. Loud asked.

“Well, it’s just a hunch I have. Given how, ah… _persistent_ these girls are, I wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of them escaped and tracked Lincoln back to their home, so… he might not be completely safe there.”

Before Lincoln could run back to the safety of his cage, Mr. Loud held the boy’s shoulders. “ _Will do_. Let’s go, Lincoln.”

As father and son walked down the dark hallway, Mr. van Zandt – who up until this point had been watching the entire scene play out in the background, growing more and more nervous by the minute – ran up to Mr. Loud. “E-E-E-Excuse me, Mr. Loud!” he said, laughing nervously. “Ah… s-s-surely we can reach a settlement? I-I-I mean, w-we don’t _have_ to take this to trial, now, do we…?”

“A _settlement?_ ” Mr. Loud’s voice dropped dangerously low. “Are you trying to _buy me off?_ ”

“N-N-N-N-Now, tha-that’s not the polite term _per se_ , but –”

“ _Look at my son, Mr. van Zandt! LOOK AT HIM!!!”_ Lincoln jumped – he had never heard his father _this_ angry before. “ _And did you see my wife and daughters?!_ Your employers’ _negligence_ allowed this to happen to them! _NO amount of money can change that!_ ” Mr. Loud got right up in Mr. van Zandt’s face. “You’d better _believe_ I’m taking this to trial. I’ll see you in court.”

Mr. Loud left Mr. van Zandt standing in the hall, desperately trying of form a coherent sentence, and led Lincoln towards the exit.

“ _Alright, the boy’s coming out, people!_ ” Detective Flanagan shouted ahead. “ _Masks on!_ ”

(…)

Time passed. The days went by. Lincoln spent most of his time in his room, just lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. It took his father a while to convince him to come out, and even when he did, most of the time he would sit on the couch, watching TV, but not really _watching_.

Time passed. The days went by. The trial came and went. Lincoln hated every part of that trial – everyone, for staring at him; the judge, for summoning him; the jury, for finding his sisters not guilty due to temporary insanity; the defense, for trying to blame _him_ for everything; but most of all the prosecutor, for using him. A female executive of EROS Industries who claimed to be of sound mind was brought before Lincoln, and all he could do was cry helplessly and be quickly escorted out of the courtroom as she went into a frenzy and lunged at him, only barely being restrained by the bailiff. The fact that EROS Industries was forced to pay huge fines and reparations not only to the Loud family, but also to the city and the state (among others) did nothing to comfort him – nor did the fact that the new company executives were discovered to have been cutting corners in various ways (such as saving money by simply dumping chemicals down the drain) and pocketing the difference, and were later tried and imprisoned for corruption. At least he didn’t have to be around when his sisters were brought in to testify.

Time passed. The days went by. Lincoln didn’t have to go to school, but he couldn’t enjoy it much. His classmates sent him their condolences in the forms of cards, balloons, and sweets. He threw them all away, finding them empty and hollow. He didn’t talk to Clyde over the walkie-talkie, anymore. And Ronnie Anne…

Lincoln didn’t want to think about what happened with Ronnie Anne.

Time passed. The days went by. And then the day came. Lincoln froze when his father told him.

It had been a month-and-a-half. The pheromone was out of his system.

His sisters were coming home.


	5. Homecoming

Even after Lincoln left the police station with his father, his scent still lingered. Lincoln’s sisters (now joined by their mother) continued to howl and pound on the bars of their cell, intent on finding him. No matter what the guards threatened them with, they would not relent – at least for long.

It was a long night at the police station that night.

But morning came, and the pheromone’s effects began to wear off. No longer overwhelmed by their lust, the Loud girls suddenly started to feel the aches, bruises, and sprains they had sustained the day and night prior, as well as the exhaustion from being awake and _very_ active all night. Unable to think about anything else, each of them found a spot to lie down and try to sleep their injuries off.

And strangely enough, each of them (barring their mother) had the same strange dream. Details varied from sister to sister, but the main premise was that they were having sex with Lincoln, and everyone was watching them.

It was horrifying, almost nightmarish… and yet, for some strange reason, none of them wanted to wake up.

When they _did_ wake up, the pain hadn’t gone away. The first thing that they realized as they looked around was that they were naked, and they scrambled to cover themselves with whatever they could find. Once they were as decent as possible, they looked around… and noticed that they were in a cell, guarded by menacing policemen in gas masks.

Confusion turned to panic. With one mind, the sisters ran up to the bars and started shaking them, shouting and begging to know where they were, and why they were there. The guards responded by pulling out their stun guns and firing them up. One look at the electrical arcs flashing between the electrodes was enough to make the sisters recoil, almost instinctually.

They huddled together, frightened. What was happening to them? Were they still dreaming? The pain felt real enough. But if it was real, where did it come from? The entire situation jarred them. It _felt_ so real, but it _seemed_ so unreal…

Then the memories of the dream started to come back to them.

But as they all put two and two together, they slowly realized that it _wasn’t_ a dream.

And they all realized what they had done.

(…)

_“Come on! Fuck me, Lincoln! Fuck me hard!”_

_“Someone! Please hel – MMPH!?”_

_“Less talking, more licking, bro!”_

(…)

Reactions were mixed. Lori looked down to the floor and whispered, “ _No._ ” She repeated it over and over, slowly increasing in volume, until she was kneeling down, clutching her head, and screaming it.

Lola paced back and forth, trying to deny that it had ever happened – that it was all a dream, that she was still dreaming right now. After all, she told herself, she was a princess – incapable of doing any wrong, least of all something like _that_.

Lisa sat on the bench in the cell, not saying a word. She closed her eyes, and silently broke down, tears streaming down her normally stoic face.

But the others simply found a place to sit or lie down, and stayed there in a stupor.

Mrs. Loud attempted to console them as best she could, but even she found herself at a loss for words. She remembered the night before perfectly – how she had lost control, and attempted to victimize her already-victimized son. Although the police had thankfully stopped her from following through with her intentions, she knew that she was just as guilty as her daughters – and that there was little comfort she could provide as a result.

As the day wore on into night, Lola started to become angry. She stopped pacing and muttering to herself and ran up to the bars. As she was the only one doing this, the guards didn’t move.

“ _HEY! Hey, you!_ ” Lola shouted to one of the guards. “ _Let me out of here! I-I swear, I-I-I haven’t done anything wrong!_ ”

The guard did not respond. Mrs. Loud looked wearily at her young daughter. “L-Lola…” she said, “stop, please…”

Lola started to shake the bars again. “ _Do you know who I am? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I am LOLA LOUD! All time Royal Woods pageantry circuit champion?! YOU LET ME OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW BEFORE I **DESTROY YOU!!!** ”_

The guard unholstered his stun gun and said in a low voice, “Miss, please step away from the bars.”

Now fearing for her safety, Mrs. Loud ran up to Lola and restrained her, trying to calm her down. But Lola squirmed out of her mother’s arms, ran back up to the bars, and shook them harder.

“ _YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!”_ she screamed. _“YOU CAN’T – YOU – IT’S NOT – I – **RRRAAAAAGGGHHH!!!**_ ” Losing all sense of coherency, Lola started pounding, tugging, and gnawing on the bars.

“ _HEY!_ ” The guard fired up his stun gun and stepped up to her. “ _I told you to KNOCK THAT OFF!_ ”

He thrusted the stun gun into the cell, and zapped poor Lola.

Lola screamed and convulsed as the current blazed through her body. As the guard pulled back, she fell backwards, writhing and twisting in agony. As she sobbed on the cold, hard floor, Mrs. Loud crawled over on her hands and knees and cradled her. She turned to her other daughters and started to ask for help… but they were still sitting or lying where they were, staring into oblivion.

Because the memories just wouldn’t stop coming.

(…)

_“Hey! Get back here!”_

_“S… Someone… Anyone… PLEASE – AH!?”_

_“Gotcha! Now come here…!”_

_“Ack –! No…! Let me go…!”_

 (…)

Lori cried even harder. As Lola lay whimpering on the floor, Mrs. Loud turned her head upwards to face the guard.

“Please,” she said, “just tell me… What’s going to happen to us?”

The guard lifted his mask just enough so it wouldn’t muffle his words. “You and your daughters are to be held here until the case is brought to trial, where they will be called to testify as needed,” he said. “As none of your daughters are over the age of 18, they will be tried in a juvenile court. If the court finds your daughters guilty, they will be moved to a juvenile detention center.”

“ _No!_ ” Mrs. Loud cried.

The guard held up his hand. “ _But,_ if they are found not guilty, then they will return here.”

“What? Why?”

“Detective Flanagan’s orders. Supposedly, it’s for the safety of your son.”

Lori’s head shot up. “ _Lincoln…_ ” She ran up to the bars and grasped them tightly, looking the guard straight in the eyes. “Please, officer,” she said, “ _please_ … We need to see him… We need to –”

The other guard unholstered his stun gun again. Lori yelped and scurried back.

The first guard spoke up again. “ _You are all to remain in this cell until further notice._ ” And that was the end of it.

And so, time passed. The days went by. Most of the girls had little else to do except sit and continue to be overwhelmed by everything that was happening to them. Lola resorted to begging, attempting to bargain with the officers.

“Please… _Please_ … Let me out… I’ll do anything… It’s not my fault…”

The officers ignored her.

Eventually, Lola gave up, and joined her sisters in sitting and staring blankly, deeply depressed. She had to accept that what happened was real, and she was just as much a participant as they were.

By the time the trial came, the pain hadn’t gone away. The girls were told that Lincoln had been brought in to testify and to present evidence, but that he was not in court today – much to their dismay, although they strangely could not decide why. They told themselves that they wanted to apologize to him, but for whatever reason, that simply didn’t sound true to them.

The trial was already stacked heavily in their favor. Lisa strengthened their case further by presenting her pheromone theory, which was corroborated by Detective Flanagan. The defense argued, weakly, that the theory was still unfounded. To settle the matter once and for all, the prosecutor, Miles Gavin, devised a little experiment.

To everyone’s surprise (not least of all her own), Leni was called to the stand. “Ms. Leni Loud,” Mr. Gavin asked her, “please forgive me for saying this, but… I am to understand that you are… _not very smart?_ ”

Leni’s sisters gasped, offended, but Leni nodded. She was used to comments like that, although she didn’t know why he had brought it up. “Yes…?”

“But you do remember _and_ realize what you did?”

Leni hung her head. “Yes…”

“And you also realize that what you did was _wrong?_ ”

Leni started to tear up. “Y… Yes…”

“Ms. Loud…” Mr. Gavin’s face turned dead serious.

“ _Do you regret what you did that day?_ ”

(…)

_“C’mon, Lincoln, shake those hips!”_

_“No… Please, don’t…!”_

_“Come on, do it already!”_

_“No… Ah…!”_

_“Ahhn…! Come on, Linc, give it to me!”_

(…)

Leni completely broke down. Burying her face in her hands, she started sobbing uncontrollably, only managing to choke out “ _Yes…!_ ” in-between sobs.

At the defense’s table, Mr. van Zandt noticed the sympathetic stares the display was getting from the jury, and he stood up. “ _Objection_ , Your Honor!” he said. “This… This is getting us _nowhere!_ ”

“Pardon _me_ ,” Mr. Gavin replied, “but I’m not finished yet. Your Honor, if you would allow me to finish…?”

The judge nodded, and banged the gavel. “Objection overruled. Please continue, Mr. Gavin.”

Mr. Gavin then procured a raincoat, which he put on, a vial of clear liquid, and a pipette.

“Ms. Leni Loud, when you look at me, do you feel any… _attraction_ of any kind?” he asked.

Leni cocked her head. He wasn’t _ugly_ , but he wasn’t particularly attractive, either. Also, the raincoat wasn’t very fashionable, she thought. “Um… _no?_ ” she said.

Mr. Gavin held up the vial. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have here a sample of androstenone, the alleged pheromone that caused the ra – the _incident_ , as well as the same pheromone that Lincoln Loud was allegedly exposed to _._ And _this_ …” He held up the pipette. “…is a reagent that tests for the presence of androstenone, the formula for which was kindly provided by Ms. Lisa Loud – tested and verified by EROS Industries to be accurate. As you can see…” He took the pipette and dropped a droplet into the liquid, which turned pink and started bubbling. Then, without warning, he dumped the contents of the vial on himself.

He turned back to Leni. “Now then, Ms. Loud, how do you feel?”

Leni went wide-eyed. “ _No_ … not _this_ again… _no_ …”

“Please, Ms. Loud. Look at me, and tell me how you feel.”

As fresh tears formed in Leni’s eyes, a powerful odor flooded her nostrils. She began to feel strange… the same kind of strange she felt on that day.

“Well, Ms. Loud?”

“I… I feel…” Leni blushed. “I feel… _hot._ ”

The prosecutor nodded. “Mm… and?”

Leni rubbed her thighs together. “A… And… _itchy_.”

“’ _Itchy_ ’ _?_ Interesting…” Mr. Gavin stepped closer. Part of Leni wanted to say no, to tell him not to come closer; but a big part of her, growing bigger, _did_ want him to come closer. “Now, tell me, Ms. Loud…”

He came so close, Leni could barely restrain herself.

“Do you feel attracted to me _now?_ ”

Leni salivated. “I… I…” She fought to keep control, but it was no use. A crazed grin spread across her face.

“ _Yes!!!_ ”

Quick as a flash, Leni leaped off the witness stand and rushed towards Mr. Gavin like a wild animal. Although he had been expecting this, Mr. Gavin was still startled at how quickly she was moving, and stumbled backwards. Leni managed to grab hold of him, but just as she was about to rip his clothes off, the bailiff grabbed her and pried her hands off him.

As Leni was forced out of the courtroom, struggling all the while, Mr. Gavin carefully removed the raincoat and dropped it in a pre-prepared barrel labelled “Biohazard”, which his assistant then wheeled out of the room. Recomposing himself, he turned to the jurors. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” he said, “you have seen that this pheromone is real, and you have seen the effects it has had on not only the Loud girls, but also – indirectly – their brother. As you have seen not only from Ms. Leni Loud, but also Mrs. Samantha Shropshire, who claimed to be of sound mind, the pheromone induces aggressive sexual behavior in otherwise perfectly normal females. Therefore, I ask you – who is to blame for this disaster? The Louds, who had no control over their actions? Or EROS Industries, which made the conscious decision to simply dump potentially dangerous chemicals down the drain, and thus enabled this insanity? The prosecution rests.”

(…)

The Loud sisters were found not guilty due to temporary insanity, although that did nothing to ease their guilty consciences. They were placed back into their detention cell and forced to wait another month before they could be released.

Time passed. Tensions went high. Wracked with guilt and cooped up in a large cell made cramped by twelve people, the girls began to bicker over the smallest things, from accidentally stepping on someone’s foot to simply getting too close. Sometimes, these quarrels ended up breaking out into fistfights, which Mrs. Loud and the guards were forced to break up. But in all of these arguments, no-one ever dared to address the elephant in the room… not even when the girls ended up having to leave for a special visit, for one reason or another.

Although the fighting stopped soon after that visit.

When the girls returned, the pain hadn’t gone away. As the remaining month neared its end, they all had plenty of time to think about what they had done.

(…)

 “ _Touch me here, Linc!”_

_“Me too…”_

_“OW! Ow, that hurts! STOP!”_

_“Rub it… I said RUB IT!”_

_“Harder, Lincoln…”_

 (…)

Time passed. The days went by. The day came.

And when the girls were told they could go home… the pain _still_ hadn’t gone away.

 (…)

Mr. Loud came to pick them up in “Vanzilla”, and the reunited Louds drove home in silence. The girls found the drive shorter than they would have liked, for two reasons. The first was that they didn’t want to leave the van – after spending so long in a cramped cell, they had become accustomed to small, enclosed spaces.

But the second and main reason was that they all, to a woman, dreaded seeing their brother. They didn’t think their hearts could take it. They were his _sisters_. Lincoln had loved them, relied on them, trusted them more than anyone else in the world… and they had betrayed that trust in the worst way possible.

And now they had to face him again.

It was a cloudy day, overcast. The dull sky seemed to suck all the color out of the Loud house as they pulled into its driveway. The girls looked at their house with glazed eyes. Finally seeing it again gave them no joy.

Mr. Loud parked “Vanzilla”, and he and Mrs. Loud stepped outside, opening the door for their daughters.

“Alright, everyone…” Mr. Loud said, “Come on.”

None of the girls moved.

Mr. Loud’s voice hardened. “ _Move_.”

Reluctantly, the girls stood up and began to get out of the van, one by one. Lori, the first out on her side, looked up at Lincoln’s window.

It had been boarded up from the inside.

Once everyone was out, Mr. Loud sighed. “Family meeting. Living room. Now.”

Everyone followed him inside, and everyone slumped down wearily – Mr. Loud in the armchair, and Mrs. Loud and the girls on or near the sofa.

And for the longest time… they sat there silently.

Nobody knew what to say – and even if they did, they still didn’t want to say anything. What _was_ there to say in a situation like this?

After several uncomfortable moments of silence, Lana tentatively broke the ice. “So… where are the pets…?” she asked.

“They’re outside,” Mr. Loud answered curtly.

“Why?”

“ _Because we need to talk._ ”

Lana piped down, afraid of rousing her father’s anger, so Mrs. Loud spoke up. “Then let’s _talk_ already, dear.”

Mr. Loud sighed, rubbing his temples. This was not going to be easy. He took a deep breath.

“Girls…” he said, “…what you did to Lincoln… is _unforgivable_.”

The girls’ hearts sank into their stomachs. They knew it was true, but hearing it from their own father just made it worse.

“And Rita…  You almost did it to him, too… I’m sure you know that,” Mr. Loud added.

Mrs. Loud nodded, slumping even further into her seat.

“W… Wh… What are you gonna do to us…?” Lori asked.

Mr. Loud was silent for a long time. Then, finally, he said, “…Nothing.”

The girls’ heads shot up – they hadn’t been expecting _that_. “ _W-What?_ ” they all said in unison.

“I know you girls were held in a detention cell for a month-and-a-half, and I know you were acquitted of any wrongdoing in court. I know weren’t in your right minds, and I know you must be feeling a lot of regret. So, I’d say that everything you’ve gone through is punishment enough.”

The girls just stared at him, silently. Inwardly, they were disappointed – they _wanted_ to be punished for what they did to Lincoln. Just as they were about to protest this, Mr. Loud raised his hand, silencing them again.

“But I’m sure you don’t know… what you did to Lily.”

 “ _L-Lily?_ ” The girls all shot out of their seats.

Mrs. Loud was just as shocked. “ _Lily?!_ Oh my God, what happened to her?!”

“Oh, _nothing_ …” Mr. Loud looked at each one of his daughters. “…except _you girls_ left her alone, in an unlocked house, for _hours_ , _with the door open_ , because you were so busy chasing after Lincoln.”

The girls had never thought of that. They sat back down shakily, their legs unable to support them, feeling guiltier than ever.

“You girls are lucky nothing happened to her, and that she was smart enough not to wander off, or else you’d be in _real_ trouble.” They all shuddered at that. What “trouble” could be more “real” than… all of _this?_

Mr. Loud sighed again, and there was another lull. Finally, Mrs. Loud spoke up again. “Honey…” she said, “…where _were_ you?”

Mr. Loud looked at her. “Hm…?”

“Where were you… when we _needed_ you?”

“Wha –?! _Lincoln_ needed me, Rita! He needed his father!” Mr. Loud snapped.

“I know, but…!” Mrs. Loud shook her head angrily. “You didn’t even pay us a visit at _all_ this past month! Not at the _police station_ , not at the _trial_ , not even…” She hesitated. “Not even… at the _hospital_ …”

Mr. Loud sat up straight. “The _hospital?!_ You… you had to go to the _hospital?_ ”

Mrs. Loud nodded. “You see, about two weeks ago, the girls started complaining of persistent stomach cramps. Some of them said they were feeling sick. The guards wouldn’t let them go until some of them started throwing up. So, we went to the hospital, and they took a look at Lucy, Lola, Lana, and Lisa, and they said they were bleeding on… on _the_ _inside_ …”

(…)

 “ _Wait!_ _Stop! Y-You can’t –! AH!_ ”

“ _Ah… Ooh… Lincoln… it’s so big…_ ”

“ _Stop… Don’t…!_ ”

(…)

Lucy, Lola, Lana, and Lisa all hung their heads in shame, clutching their stomachs.

Mrs. Loud continued. “Then they looked at the others, and…” She turned to her elder daughters. “Do you want to tell him, or do you want me to?”

Lynn, Luan, Luna, and Leni all turned to Lori, the leader. Lori shut her eyes tightly, sighed heavily, and decided to bite the bullet.

“No, Mom,” Lori said, “ _We_ have to be the ones to tell him.”

“Tell me… _what?_ ” Mr. Loud asked, afraid of what he was going to hear.

(…)

_“No…! Stop…! Lori! I-I can’t hold it anymore!”_

_“Ooh… I want it, Lincoln!”_

_“We can’t!”_

_“I want it! I want it! I want it SO BAD! GIVE IT TO ME!”_

_“No… Ah… AHHHH…!”_

(…)

Lori took a deep breath, and gestured to herself and her four younger sisters, all sitting in a group.

“We’re… _pregnant. All_ of us.”

All the color drained from Mr. Loud’s face. Under any other circumstances, even if the father were some stranger, he would have been happy for and supportive of his daughters. But _this_ …

“B-B-Bu-But –” he sputtered. “But… But… But Lincoln is only _eleven years old!_ ”

“I guess he inherited it from both of us,” Mrs. Loud said, with a sad smile. “It’s like I always say – our fertility is both a blessing and a curse.”

Mr. Loud sank into his chair. She was right – they had more than enough children to prove that. “ _Why_ …” he whispered. “Why… Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”

“We didn’t know what to do, so… we waited until we were back home with you to make a decision,” Lori explained. She and her pregnant sisters looked at their father. “So… what are we going to do, Dad?”

Mr. Loud didn’t answer right away. Leaning forward, he buried his face in his hands, desperately searching for the right answer. Making the wrong choice was _not_ an option. “I… I just… I just don’t know what to say...” he moaned.

Luan hung her head. “This… is _not funny._ ”

After several agonizing minutes, Mr. Loud made his decision. It went completely against his beliefs, but if he didn’t do it now, he would be remiss.

He stood up. “Well…” He sighed. He _really_ didn’t like it, but it _had_ to be done. “Well… you’re _all_ getting abortions. End of story.” He pointed at the five of them. “ _And I don’t want to hear any complaints, understand?_ ”

They all nodded quickly, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Good.” Mr. Loud stood there, still uncertain as to whether or not he had done the right thing.

Leni looked up at her father tearfully. “Dad…” she whimpered, “we’re so sorry –”

Mr. Loud held up his hand, silencing her. “ _Save it_.” Seeing Leni on the verge of tears, he sighed and tried to clarify. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to…”

Everyone understood exactly who he was talking about. The girls stood up.

“W… Where is he?” Lori asked.

“Upstairs. In his room.”

(…)

Lincoln had heard them enter the house. He knew it was all of them, just like his father said. He could hear their voices through the thin floorboards.

And now… he could hear their footsteps.

A loud, thunderous rumbling sound, growing louder, coming closer. Lincoln knew it was his sisters.

He knew that they were coming for him.

The other Louds stopped at the end of the hallway, just outside his door. None of the girls moved a muscle, or made a sound.

“Lincoln?” Mr. Loud called.

There was no answer.

“Lincoln, your sisters are here. They have something very important that they want to tell you.”

Still no answer.

Leni pointed to a pile of refuse just outside his door. “Um… what is _that?_ ” she asked.

“Hmm? Oh, that’s Lincoln’s trash,” Mr. Loud explained. “He leaves it outside, since, ah… he doesn’t leave his room, anymore. Not since Ronnie…” He trailed off.

“Not since _what?_ ” Lori said.

Mr. Loud shook his head. “…Never mind.”

“But… how does he _eat?_ ” Lana asked.

“Or drink?” Lisa added.

“Simple – I bring him food and drinks.”

“What about, you know… _using the bathroom?_ ” Lola asked.

“He, ah…” Mr. Loud blushed. “He, ah… ‘borrows’ from Lily.”

“But, then… what about baths? Or showers?” Leni asked.

“He doesn’t do those, anymore. Says they remind him of the fountain. He uses moist towelettes now.” Mr. Loud pointed at the refuse pile, and the girls saw that there were many used towelettes and their ripped packets. “He’s down to 20 packets a day, now.”

The girls looked at each other. _They_ had done this to him. They _had_ to make it right.

Lori stepped forward. “Please, Dad,” she said, “we… we need to see him.”

Mr. Loud nodded, understanding that they at least had to try. He turned, and knocked on Lincoln’s door again. “Lincoln?” he called. “Your sisters want to see you.”

Lincoln stayed huddled up on his bed. _He_ didn’t want to see _them_.

“Lincoln, it’s okay,” his father reassured him. “I promise, they won’t hurt you.”

Lincoln didn’t move. He wasn’t falling for _that_. Not _again_.

Mr. Loud turned back to Lori, and shrugged. Lori gingerly stepped forward, and he stepped aside. She slowly walked up to Lincoln’s door, and turned to her sisters. They were all staring at her, silently urging her on. She sighed heavily. Sometimes being the relied-upon eldest sibling was a real challenge.

Lori leaned in close, trying to listen in. She could faintly hear Lincoln taking short, rapid breaths. She gently grasped the doorknob.

“…Lincoln…?”

Lincoln heard her voice, saw the doorknob turning… and he knew they were coming to get him.

He shut his eyes, covered his ears, and _screamed_.

Mrs. Loud and her daughters jumped, startled. Lori, standing right by the door, was even more taken aback. She looked at them, lost, and they looked at her, expecting her to have the answer. As Lincoln’s screams turned to sobs, Lori turned back to the door and knocked as tenderly as she could.

“Lincoln… we just want to talk –”

“ _NO!_ ” Lincoln wailed. “ _NOOO!!! Nonononononononononononono_ …”

Lori panted. She was starting to become emotional. “Lincoln… we’re so sorry –”

“ _GO AWAY!!!_ ”

Lori’s eyes began to well up. “But… But Lincoln –”

“ _PLEASE!!!_ ” He tucked his head and legs into a ball. “ _Nononononononononononono…_ ”

Defeated, Lori turned back to the others. Now _she_ was sobbing, too. “M… Mom… Dad…” she choked, “I… I don’t know what to do…”

Mr. Loud looked at his other daughters, and saw that most of them were starting to break down, too. He sighed – he was afraid this would happen. “Alright,” he said, “everyone downstairs. Lincoln needs some time alone. Besides… it’s dinner time.”

Everyone reluctantly left Lincoln in his room, crying to himself, and headed downstairs. Once again, they sat in silence while Mr. Loud prepared dinner, eating it quietly while he took a plate and a glass of milk upstairs to Lincoln. After he returned, they continued to eat in silence until Lynn couldn’t take it anymore.

“Dad,” she said, “we can’t just ignore this. What are we going to do?”

Mr. Loud sighed yet again. “Okay, girls, clearly, Lincoln isn’t ready to see you again just yet. So, here’s what we’re going to do for now – we’re going to leave him alone. From now on, no-one interacts with him except for _me_.” He turned to his wife. “That extends to you too, Rita.”

“ _What?_ ” Luna said. “But… But Dad! He needs our help! He needs _us!_ ”

“What he _needs_ right now is some space. Let him keep to himself for a little while, get himself together.”

“But – “

“ _No ‘but’s_.” Noticing his daughters’ downcast looks, he added, “It’s only temporary, girls. Just until he heals from this.”

(…)

_“Aah… Haah…”_

_“Hah… Hah… Oh, God, that was good…”_

_“My turn!”_

_“No, mine!”_

_“Please… No more…”_

(…)

 “Dad.”

For once, Lucy’s voice did not make everyone jump. She poked idly at her food with her fork.

“ _I don’t think Lincoln will EVER heal from this._ ”


	6. A Little Room To Breathe

The Loud house, in a betrayal of its name, was unusually quiet that evening. After dinner, Mr. Loud let the pets back into the house, and they – oblivious to everything that had happened – happily welcomed the girls back. But not even they could lighten the girls’ moods.

Everyone decided to call it an early night, with most of them going to their rooms. Lucy’s words hung over them like a shadow. They didn’t want to believe her, but… what if she was _right?_

Mr. Loud sat on the edge of his bed, slumping forward and cupping his face in his hands. His wife, seeing how much this entire ordeal was tearing him apart, decided to take some of the burden off of his shoulders.

It was time for a very important phone call.

Mrs. Loud went to the kitchen and found the phonebook, reluctantly leafing through it until she found the number for the nearest abortion clinic. She picked up the phone and dialed, listening to the phone ring and almost hoping no-one would pick up.

To her dismay, someone _did_ pick up. “Huntington Oaks Abortion Clinic. How may I help you?” the female voice on the other end asked.

Mrs. Loud sighed. “Yes, hello… Um, I would like to… schedule an appointment for five tomorrow…?”

“5 p.m.? All right, just a moment, let me see if anyone is available at that –”

“No, no,” Mrs. Loud interrupted, “not for 5 p.m.… for _five_.”

“ _‘Five’_ …? Ma’am, I’m afraid I don’t understand…”

“The name… The name is ‘Loud’…”

“‘Loud’? …” There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Finally, the woman found her voice again. “ _Oh_ … Oh, _no_ …”

Mrs. Loud closed her eyes. “I’m afraid so.”

“I…” The woman was at a loss for words.

Mrs. Loud blinked back tears, and took a deep breath. “Please,” she said, “ _please_ don’t tell anyone about this…”

“Ah… W-Well…” Mrs. Loud heard the woman gulp. “D-Don’t worry about that, Mrs. Loud. We take patient confidentiality _very_ seriously here at Huntington Oaks.”

“ _Ah_ … thank you…”

“ _Ahem_ … So, then, for… _five_ … W-Well, it can be done, but…” Mrs. Loud heard papers shuffling on the other end. “…You’d have to come in early.”

“How early?” Mrs. Loud asked.

“10 a.m., at the latest,” the woman answered.

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“All right, then. Your appointment with Dr. Crowley is set for 10 a.m. tomorrow, Mrs. Loud. We’ll… We’ll see you then.”

“ _Ah_ … J-Just a moment…!” Mrs. Loud said before the woman could hang up.

“Yes?”

“I…” Mrs. Loud gulped. “We’ve… heard about this… are you _sure_ it’s safe?”

“Of course, Mrs. Loud. You don’t need to worry – we have some of the best doctors in the county here.”

“O-Oh… okay… W-Well, that’s all I wanted to know. Thank you. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Mrs. Loud hung up the phone, and returned to her bedroom. Mr. Loud was still sitting on the edge of the bed. He was grateful that she had done that for him, but he’d heard every word, and each one felt like a stab in the heart. This was still _his_ decision.

It felt like he was sentencing his grandchildren to death.

Mrs. Loud sat down next to her husband. “It’s done,” she said.

Mr. Loud kept holding his head in his hands. “It’s… done…” he repeated.

They sat in silence for a little while, until Mrs. Loud put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Lynn,” she said, “ _talk to me…_ ”

Mr. Loud weakly lifted his head up, staring at the wall. “Rita…” He sighed, turning his weary eyes to his wife. “I’m… not a _murderer_ , am I?”

Mrs. Loud understood exactly what he meant, and shook her head. “No,” she said firmly, “no, you’re not.”

He chuckled mirthlessly, before staring blankly ahead again. “Then… I did the right thing…?”

Mrs. Loud closed her eyes and was silent for a long time, carefully thinking about her next words. After a while, she leaned over and kissed Mr. Loud on the cheek.

“…I don’t think there was a ‘right thing’ _to_ do in that situation, dear,” she said.

Mr. Loud sighed again. That didn’t make him feel any better, but it did make sense. As he reflected on his behavior earlier, he put his head in his hands again. “You were right, Rita…”

“Huh? About what?”

“You were right. I should have… I should have been there for you and the girls.” Mr. Loud shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but, when I thought about what they did to him, and how I had to watch him become the way he is now, I just…”

He looked to be on the verge of tears. Mrs. Loud quickly said, “It’s _okay_ , honey, it’s okay; you don’t have to justify yourself –”

“But I _do!_  I… I just… I wanted to help him, and I couldn’t. But you were right – I wasn’t thinking about _them_ at all…” Mr. Loud sniffled.

“I can’t imagine what _they’re_ thinking right now…”

(…)

Lori sat on her bed, desperately waiting for her cellphone to buzz. She had sent text after text after text to Bobby – begging him to forgive her, begging him to take her back, begging him to try to understand, begging him to just _talk to her_.

He still hadn’t responded.

She hugged her knees to her chest and cried. No matter how badly she wanted to think about Bobby, about how much she needed him… her thoughts kept drifting back to Lincoln.

_I was supposed to be the big sister… I was supposed to look out for you…_

(…)

Leni read the fashion magazine in her hands, her eyes darting back and forth over the articles. She tried to let her mind drift away from the unhappy thoughts like it always did, and focus on the dresses that she loved so much… but her tears kept staining the pages, smudging the pictures.

It was no use. She tossed the fashion magazine away, and let the tears flow freely.

She couldn’t stop thinking about how she had made a baby with her brother.

_I really messed up bad this time… Why can’t I stop messing up…?_

(…)

Luna lay in her top bunk, strumming her guitar and staring at the ceiling. She clenched her teeth. No matter which way she strummed the strings, the chords always ended up sounding sad.

Soon, she had had enough. She held her beloved guitar over the edge of the bed… and carelessly let it drop to the ground with a loud _clang_.

How expensive it was just didn’t matter to her anymore.

_Life had just begun, bro… But now I’ve gone and thrown it all away…_

(…)

Luan frowned at the puppet in her hands. Mr. Coconuts didn’t want to talk to her – not after what she had done to Lincoln. She didn’t want to hear what he thought about her, anyways.

Putting the dummy back in his case, Luan got down on her knees and lifted her bedsheets, pushing the case under the bed. She saw her other props lying under there, too, gathering dust… and tearfully pushed them further back.

She had a feeling that she wouldn’t be using them for quite some time.

_All I ever wanted to do was make you laugh… I never wanted to make you cry…_

(…)

Lynn bounced her tennis ball against the wall again and again. This activity used to calm her down, help her get to sleep – but now it just aggravated her more. She started throwing the ball harder and harder, and it bounced faster and faster…

Until she lost control of it, and it hit her square in the eye.

Growling furiously, she spun around and started punching her pillow over and over, before grabbing it, burying her face in it, and screaming.

_Why…? Why do I have to be so aggressive…?!_

(…)

Lucy applied the finishing touches of glue on Edwin’s stump, then carefully replaced his head. Excess glue oozed out of the cracks, but she gently wiped it away, then put the bust on her nightstand to dry. It was good as new – and yet, she couldn’t decide why she should care.

She had become just as much a beautiful monster as her “love”. Her dream had come true… but now it felt more like a nightmare.

For the first time in a long time (maybe the first time _ever_ ), tears started rolling down her pale cheeks.

_I thought I didn’t have a heart… I thought I knew what pain was…_

(…)

Lana wasn’t in her room. Being around her exotic pets, whom she used to adore, now only made her feel like a freak. She had gone downstairs to the kitchen to stare at the wildflowers she had picked for Lincoln that fateful day.

They were still in their beautifully-painted vase, but they had long since wilted, the colors all having drained out of the petals, most of which were lying on the table in a heap.

The sight was too much. Running back upstairs, she went to the bathroom, stripped, climbed into the shower… and started furiously scrubbing herself with soap.

_Now I really am a dirty girl… I’m so sorry, Lincoln…_

(…)

Lola stared at the pictures of her hanging on the wall bordering her bed. She was so _pretty_ , so _prim_ , so _proper_ – so _pure_. Not anymore. She climbed up onto her bed and started tearing the pictures down, jumping and bouncing to grab the high ones. She hated the way they looked at her; the way they _judged_ her.

Once she was finished, she jumped down onto the floor, panting and heaving from her frenzied effort. Her face felt wet – she figured she was sweating. She wiped her face, and her gloved hand came back with a black smudge.

She turned around and saw herself in the mirror… and saw that her mascara was running.

_A pageant queen must have poise, grace, and self-control at all times… At ALL times…_

(…)

Lisa rifled through the disorganized pile of notes on her desk. She already had a plan, but it would take some finesse to execute, and there was no time to lose. She briefly paused and asked herself if this was really the best course of action, but quickly persuaded herself that yes, it was. Lucy was right. This was the only way.

She found the schematics for the machine – and then laid her eyes on the little green book. She froze. Reluctantly, she forced herself to move towards it, to pick it up, to open it. Her eyes began to well up behind her huge glasses as she read the book’s contents.

One more entry for her little green book… but this one outstripped all the others.

  _I prided myself on my genius intellect, my triumph over my animal roots… But in the end, I gave in to my baser instincts, and proved myself nothing more than a beast…_

(…)

Lily rested comfortably in her crib. She was so happy to see her mommy and her big sisters again. Where had they gone? She wanted to play with them, but they didn’t want to play with her. Why not? After dinner, each of her sisters had apologized to her. Why? What did they do?

She wondered all of this, but she didn’t think very hard about it. It was all sort of beyond her understanding. She was just happy that everyone was back.

Although… she did notice that someone very important still wasn’t there.

_…Where’s Linky…?_

(…)

Mr. Loud sobbed. “God, I’m a failure…” he said. “I failed my family…”

“ _No._ No, you didn’t,” Mrs. Loud said.

“I _did_ , Rita! First you and the girls, then Lincoln…”

“What? How did you fail _Lincoln?_ ”

“I…” Mr. Loud stopped, fearing he had said too much. He knew he had to tell them about Ronnie Anne eventually, but the memory was still so painful… “I… I _can’t_ … I just… not yet…”

Mrs. Loud patted her husband’s back soothingly. “ _Shh_ … It’s okay, honey. We’ll talk about it when you want to talk about it. Just… Just remember, you did the best you could.”

Mr. Loud sniffled, shaking his head. “Not good enough…” he moaned. “ _Not good enough_ …”

That was _it_. Mrs. Loud grabbed her husband by the shoulders and turned him to face her directly. “ _Listen_ , Lynn,” she told him, “what’s done is done. There’s nothing we can do about it now. All we can do is take our situation and make the most out of it _._ We’re their parents – so _let’s start acting like it._ ”

Mr. Loud blinked. Then, a determined look spread across his face. “You’re right, Rita,” he said, nodding. “We can’t just sit and feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve… We’ve got to do something.”

Mrs. Loud sighed, glad to finally have gotten through to her husband. “Right. So… the first and most obvious thing we should be doing is getting Lincoln some help…”

Mr. Loud contemplated that for a short while, then snapped his fingers.

“There’s only one person I know who can help Lincoln now.”

(…)

Lincoln awoke, sitting up in his bed. He looked at the time.

Morning time. It was quiet.

_Too_ quiet for morning time.

He had lived in that house long enough to recognize his sisters stomping about in the mornings – and if they had come back, where were they?

Quietly, Lincoln slipped out of bed and got dressed. He pressed his ear against the door. Still nothing. He looked at the doorknob hesitantly. What if this was just another trick? What if they weren’t gone? What if they were just waiting for him outside the door, staying silent?

But what if they were gone, and he was finally free?

Lincoln gulped. Grabbing the doorknob and twisting hard, he threw the door open, ready to fight… but no-one was there. Gingerly, he crept out into the hallway, looking around every half-second for his sisters.

It was completely and utterly quiet. Not a sound to be heard.

Maybe they really _were_ gone. Maybe he _was_ finally free.

Lincoln stretched, breathing in the fresh air. It was _so_ good to be out of his room again. He prepared to head downstairs for breakfast…

…and stopped when he heard a voice that sent a deathly shiver down his spine.

_“Where do you think YOU’RE going?”_

Lincoln didn’t bother to look; he just ran down the stairs as fast as he could, desperate to get away. He reached the front door and threw it open – but the way out was blocked.

By bars.

_Prison_ bars.

“You can’t leave,” a different voice behind him said. _“It’s not safe out there, bro.”_

Finally, Lincoln had to turn around. Luna was standing there, naked, while Lori came down the stairs, also naked. Lincoln spun and ran through the dining room into the kitchen as his sisters materialized out of thin air, each of them just as naked as he remembered they were that day.

“Don’t worry, Lincoln,” Luan said, “you’re safe in here. With _us._ ”

“We _really_ love you, Lincoln…” Leni said.

“We’ll take care of you…” Lana said.

“We’ll _never_ let you go…” Lucy said.

“Because you’re our brother…” Lynn said.

_“Our one and only brother…”_ Lola said.

Lincoln opened the back door. It was barred, too. He turned to try the window. Barred. Outside, it was getting very dark, very quickly. His sisters began to creep into the kitchen.

“We’ll protect you, Lincoln.”

“We’ll always be here for you.”

“We’ll always be here _with_ you.”

_“For you.”_

_“WITH you.”_

**_“FOREVER.”_ **

Lincoln backed away from them, when suddenly he fell into something. It was Lisa’s mechanical chair. The metal restraints shot out, immobilizing him, as the chair converted into a table and stretched him out flat.

Lincoln struggled against the restraints in vain. It was happening again. “No…” he whimpered. _“No… No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, **NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!** ”_

His sisters surrounded him. They gazed down at him, smiling wickedly.

_“It’s playtime, Lincoln…”_

(…)

_“NOOOOOO!!!”_

Lincoln bolted upright. Panting and sweating, he looked around quickly, realizing that he was back in his room, lying in his bed. Light crept through the cracks between the boards on his window.

Lincoln looked down at his shaking hands. It had happened again. He clutched his head, rocking back and forth, sobbing. _Why…?_ he thought. _Why won’t the nightmares stop?_

That’s when he heard his sisters stomping around outside. He started shivering. Hugging his knees, he curled up into a defensive ball, watching the door. At any moment, if they wanted to, they could easily come in and take him. And who could stop them, if they all worked together like they did in the park?

Lincoln scooted backwards, into the furthest, darkest corner of his bed.

_Because the nightmare is real_ , he told himself. _Because I’m still living it._

Outside Lincoln’s door, his sisters were crowding the hallway, pushing and shoving to get closer. Hearing their brother’s cries caused them to instinctually rush to his aid, anxious to comfort him. Panicking, concerned for their brother, desperate to make everything up to him, and just wanting to see him again, they all forgot about their father’s order.

Lori managed to reach the door first. “Lincoln?” she called. “Lincoln, are you okay?”

Lincoln flinched on hearing their voices, and he saw the doorknob rattling again. They _were_ coming to get him. The pheromone wasn’t out of his system – that was a _lie_. It would _never_ be out of his system.

His sisters would _never_ stop wanting him.

This time, though, he had someone who could protect him. _“DAD!”_ Lincoln screamed. _“DAAAD!!!”_

Hearing all the commotion, Mr. and Mrs. Loud had gotten to the bottom of the stairs when they heard Lincoln calling, and charged up them to see their daughters crowding around the end of the hallway. Seeing them willfully disobeying him and frightening their brother in such a manner, Mr. Loud forgot about his resolve to think about them as well, and lost his temper.

_“GIRLS!!!_ ”

The Loud sisters all jumped. Turning to face their furious father, they knew that they had made a serious mistake.

Mr. Loud pointed at the stairs. _“Downstairs! NOW!_ ”

The other girls turned their eyes to Lori, silently pleading with her to speak on their behalf. Lori reluctantly stepped forward. “D-Dad, we just –”

“ _I don’t want to hear it!_ ” Mr. Loud shouted. He continued to point. “ _DOWNSTAIRS, NOW!”_

Shoulders slumped and heads hung, the girls all obeyed. As she watched them file by one by one, Mrs. Loud noticed that Lisa was not among them. After they had all gone by, Mr. Loud went up to Lincoln’s door, listening in. He was sobbing. Mrs. Loud went to Lisa and Lily’s room, listening in at the door. She couldn’t describe the noises she heard, but it sounded like something was being built.

Mrs. Loud knocked on the door. “Lisa?”

There was no answer. The noises continued.

Mrs. Loud knocked again. “Lisa, what’s going on in there?”

Again, no answer, and again, more noises.

Mrs. Loud knocked harder, and said in an authoritarian tone of voice, “Lisa Marie Loud, you answer me when I’m talking to you!”

Finally, the strange noises stopped. After a few moments, the door opened a crack, and Mrs. Loud saw Lisa staring at him through it, bleary-eyed.

“Lisa, what’s going on in there?” Mrs. Loud asked.

“Sc _h_ ienc _h_ e experiment. Very important. Pleas _h_ e let me work,” Lisa answered tersely and unusually politely.

Mrs. Loud scratched her head. “Well… it’s breakfast time. Are you coming…?”

“Can’t s _h_ top now. No time. Pleas _h_ e bring it up.” Lisa shut the door on him.

But Mrs. Loud knocked yet again. “Well… Well, could you at least let me get Lily?”

There was no response. Soon, though, the door opened again, and this time, Lisa had Lily by her side. She weakly turned her baby sister over to her mother, then shut the door again. The strange noises resumed.

Mrs. Loud frowned, finding this very odd, but she shook her head. She could deal with this later – right now, there was a more important matter to be dealt with.

With Lily in Mrs. Loud’s arms, the two parents marched downstairs to the dining room. All their other daughters were sitting around the table, their breakfasts in front of them, untouched. All of them became even more fearful once their entered the room. They placed Lily in her high chair, then sat at the end of the table together.

Mr. Loud pinched the bridge of his nose. The girls all held their breaths.

Then, Mr. Loud inhaled deeply, and said, “Girls… do _any_ of you remember what I told you yesterday?”

Once again, everyone looked to Lori to speak up. This time, however, she kept her mouth firmly shut. She wasn’t going to risk arousing her father’s anger – not _again_.

Seeing her reluctance, Luna decided to be the one to speak up. “W-We _do_ , Dad, b-but –”

“Then _why_ did you all suddenly decide to disobey me?!”

“Dad, we were _scared!”_ Luna cried. “We just wanted to help…”

Mr. Loud felt Mrs. Loud’s hand touching his. He looked at her, and her eyes gave him a stern reminder of their conversation last night. Sighing, Mr. Loud tried to go easier on them. “I know… okay, I _know_ you were just trying to help him,” he said, “but _that_ was not helping, okay?”

Luna sank into her seat, ashamed. “We… we were just so _worried_ , Dad…”

“I know.” Mr. Loud sighed. “…What happened?” he asked.

“We heard him screaming…!” Leni said.

Mr. Loud shook his head. “He must have had another nightmare…”

Luan looked up, shocked. “‘ _Another_ ’ nightmare?”

Mr. Loud nodded. “He’s been having a lot of those, recently…”

The Loud sisters looked at one another. More guilt to add to the pile…

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Lori found the courage to speak up again. “We’re sorry, Dad…”

“It’s okay, girls, it’s okay,” Mr. Loud reassured them. “It’s okay. We’ll let it go this time… just as long as you understand, and promise not to do it again.”

The girls all solemnly nodded.

“Alright,” Mr. Loud said, getting up out of his seat. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a plate up to Lincoln.” He headed into the kitchen.

“Ah, honey?” Mrs. Loud called out. “Could you take another plate for Lisa?”

“Huh? Uh, sure…” As Mr. Loud came back out with two plates of breakfast, he asked, “Hey – where _is_ Lisa, anyways?”

“She’s in her room. She said something about an important science experiment,” Mrs. Loud answered. As he began to head up the stairs, she asked him, “See if you can get anything more out of her.”

After he left, Mrs. Loud sighed, picking up her fork and knife. “Well, alright, girls,” she said, “eat your breakfast before it gets cold.” As the sisters slowly did so (none of them had much of an appetite), Mrs. Loud looked to her five eldest daughters, all sitting on one side of the table, and told them, “You need to get ready soon, girls – our appointment’s in two hours.”

“Appointment? What appointment?” Lori asked.

“For your…” Mrs. Loud hesitated. “For… We’re… going to the… _clinic_ … today…”

“The ‘ _clinic_ ’…?” Luan went wide-eyed. “That’s _today?!_ ”

Mrs. Loud nodded. As Luan and her other pregnant sisters erupted in shock and protest, she called out to silence them. “ _Girls_ … _GIRLS!_ ” She waved a hand in the air in a cutting motion. “I know it’s sooner than you might have expected, but… but I say we’d better… we’d better just… just… _get it over with_ now, before you start having second thoughts…”

The girls looked at each other despairingly. They were _already_ having second thoughts…

Mr. Loud came back. As he sat back down, he asked, “What was all that commotion about down here?”

“The girls found out about their appointment,” Mrs. Loud answered.

“Oh… I see…” Mr. Loud looked down at his plate, and said no more.

The Louds ate their breakfast in silence. Only Lana was bold enough to speak, and then only to ask if Mr. Loud had found out anything more about Lisa and her experiment. He hadn’t.

After breakfast, the Louds returned to their rooms in silence. No-one could think of anything to do except dress, get ready for the day, and lie on their beds, feeling sorry for themselves. The five eldest Loud sisters all watched the clock, their sense of dread growing with each passing minute. When they had found out from the doctors, they were initially devastated, as anyone would be. But as time went by, for some strange reason, they began to feel a profound sense of happiness. They couldn’t explain why, but they were ashamed of it nonetheless. Their conflicting emotions left them at a loss as to what to do, so they were relieved that their father had made the choice for them.

But now that they had had time to think about it, they wondered if they really were happy with that choice…

Finally, it was time to go. Mrs. Loud called each of them downstairs. They dared not disobey.

As Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn gathered downstairs, Mrs. Loud went aside to talk to Mr. Loud.

“Have you called yet?” Mrs. Loud asked.

Mr. Loud nodded. “Yep. He should be here any minute now.” He looked sadly at his daughters. “This… This is really happening, huh…”

Mrs. Loud put her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “This _has_ to be done, Lynn,” she said. “You know that.”

“I know.” Mr. Loud shook his head, seeing them all gathered at the foot of the stairs. “I still don’t understand how they _all_ got pregnant _at the same time_ …”

“Well…” Mrs. Loud struggled to explain the intricacies of female biology to her husband. “Well, you see, Lynn, when women of… a _certain age_ live in close proximity for a long time, their… Well, their _cycles_ line up, you see…”

“O… Oh.” Mr. Loud still looked torn up. Mrs. Loud hugged him tenderly.

“You are _not_ a murderer, honey,” she whispered in his ear.

Mr. Loud gently hugged her back, trying not to cry. “Then why do I _feel_ like one?”

Mrs. Loud kissed him on the cheek. “You’re _not_.” She released him, then turned to her daughters. “All right, come on, girls. Let’s go.”

One by one, the girls followed their mother outside, and reluctantly got into the car. Lori lingered outside her door, looking up at Lincoln’s window.

“Lori, come on, sweetie,” Mrs. Loud said.

“M…Mom…” Lori looked at her mother.

“Lori, sweetie, it’s okay. You can do this. I’ll be right there with you, the whole time.”

Lori shook her head. “No, no, it’s not that, Mom…” She looked back up at Lincoln’s window. “Don’t… Don’t you think we should _tell him_ about this?”

“Who…?” Mrs. Loud followed Lori’s gaze. “ _Oh_ … Oh, Lori… _no_. I think, given everything that’s happened… finding out about _this_ would only make him feel worse.”

Lori sagged. She understood, but she still didn’t like it. “O… Okay…”

Mrs. Loud sighed. “ _Please_ , Lori… get in the car.”

Lori obeyed. Mrs. Loud climbed into the driver’s seat, looking at her despondent daughters through the rear-view mirror. Sighing, she started up the van, and drove off. She didn’t want them to be late for their appointments…

(…)

Mere minutes after Mrs. Loud and her daughters left, the McBride family car pulled up into the Loud house’s driveway. Clyde looked up at his best friend’s house, then down at the comics in his hands. He took a deep breath.

“You okay, Clyde?” Clyde’s father, Harold, asked.

“Yeah, Dad, I’m just… I wonder if Lincoln’s really ready to see me again…” Clyde answered. After the incident, Lincoln had stopped talking to him. Clyde understood why, but he still felt lonely without his best friend. He and their other friends acutely felt the void Lincoln left. That’s why he had been so surprised when Mr. Loud called and asked him if he wanted to come over and hang out with Lincoln. He was eager to finally see Lincoln again, but he couldn’t help but worry.

“Oh, Clyde, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you,” Clyde’s other father, Howard, said. “You’re his best friend, after all.”

Clyde sighed, smiling. “Thanks, Dad.” He and his fathers got out of the car, and his fathers walked him to the door.

“Now, son, if anything happens, you can call us at these numbers,” Howard said, handing Clyde a long sheet of paper with various numbers on it.

Harold placed his hand on his husband’s shoulder. “Howie,” he said, “don’t worry so much. He’s just having a little play-date with his friend.” He turned to Clyde. “Just call us when you’re ready to be picked up, son.”

Clyde nodded. “Okay, Dad.”

Clyde’s fathers hugged him. “We love you, son,” they said. “Have fun.”

Clyde hugged them back. “Love you too, Dads. I will.”

Clyde’s fathers returned to the car, waved goodbye, and drove away. Clyde saw them off, then took another deep breath as he knocked on the door. It wasn’t long before Mr. Loud opened the door.

“…Hello, Clyde.”

“Uh… hi, Mr. Loud.”

 Mr. Loud stepped aside. “Please, come in.”

Clyde stepped inside, and as Mr. Loud led him upstairs to Lincoln’s room, he asked, “Do… do you really think he’s ready to see me?”

“I’m not sure,” Mr. Loud said. “All I know is, he has to see _someone._ ”

Clyde nodded. “I hear that.”

As they passed by Lucy, Lola, and Lana’s rooms, they all peeked their heads out curiously. The two of them came up to Lincoln’s room. Clyde looked at Mr. Loud, who nodded at him, urging him on. He gingerly knocked on the door.

“…Lincoln?”

Lincoln froze when he heard that voice. It was a familiar voice – one he knew he could trust.

“Lincoln, it’s me, Clyde.”

Lincoln slowly crawled off of his bed, inching towards the door. He knew it was Clyde, he knew Clyde would never hurt him – he knew Clyde was his _friend_.

“C… C… Cl… Clyde?”

“Yeah, man, it’s me. I brought two copies of the latest of _Ace Savvy_ over, do you want to read them together?”

Lincoln _did_ want that. He wanted very much to see Clyde again, to laugh and play with him like he used to. Lincoln opened the door a crack, seeing Clyde and his father standing outside his door…

…and saw his younger sisters standing just beyond them.

Lincoln shrieked, slamming the door and locking it before jumping back onto the bed and cowering under the covers. It was a _trick!_ They had used Clyde to try to get him to lower his guard!

Clyde, startled, knocked on the door again. “Lincoln?! Lincoln, what’s the matter?”

Inside his room, Lincoln stayed under the sheets, whispering “ _Nonononononononono_ …”

 Mr. Loud turned around to see Lucy, Lola, and Lana standing in the hall. “ _Oh_ … Girls?” He made a shooing motion. “You might want to, uh…”

The girls realized their mistake. “ _Oh_ …” Lucy looked at the twins, and motioned for them to follow her. They all went downstairs.

Mr. Loud nodded at Clyde, who nodded back and knocked on the door a third time. “It’s okay, Lincoln,” he said, “they’re gone now.”

Lincoln didn’t listen to him. He was on _their_ side. He couldn’t trust him anymore. He didn’t know who he _could_ trust, anymore…

“ _Nononononononononono_ …”

Mr. Loud spoke up. “Son, it’s okay, really. I sent them away. They’re gone, _I promise_.”

Lincoln stopped muttering to himself. He poked his head out from under the sheets. His father had always looked out for him – except for that one time… But he had defended him from his sisters just earlier, so perhaps he was telling the truth…?

Clyde knocked yet again. “Come on, Lincoln, you know me. You know I’d never lie to you.” He leaned in close to the door.

“We’re Clincoln McCloud, remember?”

Lincoln gasped. After several agonized moments, he finally got out of bed again, grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breath, then quickly threw the door open and scanned the hallway before shutting the door again, bracing himself against it and hyperventilating. He didn’t _see_ his sisters out there, but what if they were hiding? What if they were still waiting for him to let his guard down?

But Clyde…

He could _always_ trust Clyde, couldn’t he?

_Clincoln McCloud_ … he thought.

Reluctantly, Lincoln opened the door a crack again, and motioned for Clyde to come inside. Clyde sighed in relief, but just as he was about to go inside, Mr. Loud stopped him.

“Oh, Clyde?” he said. “Before you go in there, I have to warn you – _don’t_ touch him. He _really_ hates it.”

“H-He _does?_ ” Clyde said.

“Oh, yeah. For the first couple of weeks, he wouldn’t let me, or even _Lily_ touch him. So, you know…”

“Okay, got it. Don’t do that.” Clyde grasped the doorknob. “Okay, Lincoln, I’m coming in…”

Lincoln hurried Clyde into his room, then took the time to place his breakfast plate outside before shutting and locking the door again. Mr. Loud stared dismally at the plate in front of him.

Once again, it had barely been touched.

He took it downstairs, where he saw Lucy, Lola, and Lana sitting quietly in the living room, depressed as can be.

“Um… are you alright, girls?” he asked. He knew it was a stupid question, but he thought talking about it might make them feel better.

Lola and Lana didn’t respond, instead staring at the powered-off TV. Lucy looked down at her stomach, rubbing the area just below her navel.

“My scars are aching,” she said. “Inside _and_ out.”

(…)

Mrs. Loud hadn’t failed to notice the people recognizing the family van as they drove by, nor did she fail to notice how uncomfortable her daughters were to have passersby look at them the way they did. So, she decided to stay off the main roads and highways, and take the back roads to Huntington Oaks instead.

They arrived right on time. They parked “Vanzilla”, and headed towards the entrance to Huntington Oaks Abortion Clinic. Just outside the entrance, a man was harassing a couple trying to enter.

“ _Please_ , ma’am,” he said to the woman, “would you allow your child to die, before it’s even been _born?_ It’s a parent’s duty to care for their child – not to send it to Hell before it has even seen the light of the Lord!”

The other man held his partner’s shoulders. “Don’t listen to him, babe,” he said. “Let’s go.”

“Infanticide is a _sin!_ This is _murder!_ A child should not suffer for the sins of the parent!” the first man said as the couple entered the clinic. He turned to the Louds. “ _You,_ ma’am! How can you…” The man trailed off as he looked at them. “Wait… I… I know you… I saw you on TV! You’re the _Louds_ …”

Mrs. Loud looked back at her daughters, who were holding and looking at their bellies and starting to cry. She glared at the man. “Are you going to preach to _us_ , too?”

The man turned pale. “I…”

“Come on, girls.”

Mrs. Loud marched into the clinic without allowing the man to answer, and her daughters followed her, eager to be away from that man.

As their mother checked in at the front desk, the girls looked around the clinic. It was clean, bright, and sanitary – but none of this made them any less comfortable. They sat in the waiting room, thinking about that man’s words. They knew he was wrong, of course – in _this_ case, at least. Their children were abominations in every sense of the word before they were even born, and if they _were_ born, they would always be living reminders of their heinous crime.

So, why…?

_Why_ did the girls want to keep them so badly?

Dr. Crowley stepped out of one of the rooms. “Ah… ‘ _Loud_ ’?” she called.

Mrs. Loud gulped. This was it. She turned to the girls. “Okay, well…” she said, “…does anyone want to go first?”

The girls looked at each other. _None_ of them did. Finally, Lori, realizing that she had to step up again, did so.

“I’ll go –”

“ _Wait!_ ”

Lynn stood up, on the verge of tears, and Lori sat back down.

_“Ah –!”_ Mrs. Loud started. “Uh… Lynn? Do _you_ want to go first?”

Lynn shook her head violently. “ _No_ , Mom! I…” She looked at the others, who were still just as uncertain as she was. Lynn strengthened her resolve. She had to convince them _now_ , before it was too late.

“I… I…” Lynn buried her face in her hands, sobbing. “I can’t do this, Mom. I just _can’t_ …”

Mrs. Loud watched Lynn – strong, independent Lynn – cry, then turned to look at her other daughters. They looked back at her, eyes welling and lips quivering. She knew that Lynn was saying what they were all thinking.

She stood up. She had to do something, _now_. Kneeling to Lynn’s level, she put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and said, firmly but gently, “Lynn, listen to me. Being a mother is _not_ easy. Believe me – _I_ would know. It wasn’t easy for me with just one, and I wasn’t thirteen years old. You _are_. Do you _really_ think you’re ready for that responsibility, at such a young age? Do you _really_ think you can raise a child well, when _you_ haven’t even finished being raised?”

Lynn sniffled, drying her eyes. “I… I _can_ be… for my child –”

But Mrs. Loud silenced her. “Oh, _really?_ And just _how_ are you going to provide for this child? What kind of place would hire a thirteen-year-old? Or do you just intend to foist it on your father and I – make _us_ pay for it, and do all the hard work of raising it?”

“N-No, Mom, I –”

“And what about the _future?_ Not just _yours_ , but your _child’s?_ If word gets out that you had your brother’s child – and believe me, word _always_ finds a way of getting out – you, the _both_ of you, will be ostracized, no matter how badly either of you try to convince others that you’re still good people. Lynn…”

Mrs. Loud forced Lynn to look at her.

_“Is that REALLY the kind of future you want for your child?”_

“I… _I…_ ” Lynn stuttered.

Mrs. Loud sighed. “Please, Lynn… just _do it_.”

Lynn looked to her sisters helplessly, but they couldn’t offer her any support. She hung her head bitterly. It was over – she had lost. Turning to Dr. Crowley, who was patiently waiting by the door, she decided to get it over with first.

Hours passed, as each Loud sister followed the other into the room. Each one came out sobbing. After three hours, it was over. The girls and their mother left. The man outside couldn’t even bring himself to look at them. They all drove home in complete silence.

Their children were all dead before they were even alive.


	7. Shame

Clyde left Lincoln’s room a little under an hour after Mrs. Loud and her five eldest daughters left the clinic. Clyde called for Mr. Loud, and he came upstairs.

“What is it, Clyde?” Mr. Loud asked.

Clyde jerked his thumb back towards Lincoln’s room. “He wants to tell you something,” he replied.

Lincoln’s quavering voice came out from behind the door. “D-D-D-D-Dad?”

“Yes, son?” Mr. Loud said gently.

“P-P-Please… g-give Clyde… f-f-five cents…”

“Five cents…?”

Lincoln didn’t give any more information, instead simply shutting the door. Mr. Loud looked at Clyde, silently requesting an explanation.

“Oh, uh…” Clyde scratched the back of his head. “I loaned him five cents that day – you know, before…”

“Oh.” Mr. Loud nodded. He started to dig out his wallet, but Clyde shook his head.

“Please, Mr. Loud, it’s alright, really. You don’t have to…”

“I know, but Lincoln wants you to have it…” Mr. Loud took out a nickel out of his wallet, and offered it to Clyde. After a moment, Clyde sighed and reluctantly accepted it.

Lucy, Lola, and Lana heard the two of them talking and came out of their rooms, crowding around Clyde and bombarding him with questions about Lincoln. How was he? Was he okay? Did he say anything? Did he say anything about _them?_

“Girls, _please,_ ” Mr. Loud interrupted. He gestured to the stairs. “Let’s take this downstairs, okay?”

Mr. Loud headed downstairs, and Clyde followed him, the girls close behind. It was at that moment that Mrs. Loud and the elder Loud girls came in through the front door.

Mr. Loud stopped dead in his tracks. “O- _Oh!_ ” he said. “Y-You’re… you’re _back_ …”

Mrs. Loud looked at her melancholy daughters one last time, sighed, then turned to Mr. Loud, nodding solemnly.

“It’s done…” she said.

“It’s…” Mr. Loud gulped. “It’s… _done_ …”

Mrs. Loud hugged her husband, who hugged her back, then went up to their daughters.

“Girls, I’m…” Mr. Loud said, his voice shaking. “I’m… I’m sorry…”

The girls looked at him sadly. They couldn’t decide whether to simply accept the apology, or apologize as well.

In either case, Mr. Loud offered a hug, and they all took him up on it at once.

Clyde scratched his head. “Um… what happened? Where did you all go?” he asked Mrs. Loud.

But Mrs. Loud shook her head. “Sorry, Clyde,” she said. “It’s… a _family matter_.”

“O-Oh. I… I see…” Clyde responded. He had considered himself an honorary Loud, but apparently, he still wasn’t close enough to know about whatever had happened.

Hearing his voice, Lori broke out of the group hug. “Clyde?”

“Oh! Uh… hi, Lori,” Clyde said, averting his gaze. Before the incident, he would normally faint, get a nosebleed, act like a robot, or any combination of the three around his crush, but now, he just couldn’t look at her the same way – and he doubted that he would ever again.

“What are you doing here?” Lori asked.

Mr. Loud broke up the group hug. “I invited him over,” he answered. “While you girls were gone, he spent time with Lincoln, in his room.”

“Huh? Wait, then – you’ve _seen him?_ ” Lori and her four sisters targeted Clyde, once again starting to ask him several questions about Lincoln.

“Girls – Girls, _please!_ ” Mr. Loud shouted. The girls quieted down. “One at a time!”

All the girls once again turned to Lori, who asked, “Clyde… how is he?”

Clyde sighed. He walked into the living room proper, and took a seat in the armchair. The rest of the Loud family followed him, sitting on the sofa.

“Well,” Clyde said, “to put it perfectly bluntly… he’s a _wreck._ ”

Mrs. Loud and the girls gasped. They had figured as much, but hearing it still hurt so badly…

“W-What do you _mean_ , a _‘wreck’?!_ ” Lori demanded.

“W-Well, you know…” Clyde said nervously, “He’s… just real _shaken_ , you know? To put it _mildly_ … I could see it in his eyes…”

“W-Well, did you two _talk?_ Did he _say_ anything?”

“Not _really_ … He was real quiet the whole time, just reading the comics I brought. Every time I asked him a question, like ‘How long have you been in here?’ or ‘You having fun with me here?’ or ‘You want me to just give you some alone time?’, he’d just say something quick, like nodding and saying, ‘Mm-hmm’, or shaking his head and saying ‘Uh-uh’, or shrugging and saying, ‘I’unno’.” Clyde cast his eyes downwards. “I told him that we all missed him at school, and all he did was nod and say ‘Mm-hmm’.”

Lori sank further into her seat. “O-Oh…”

“Plus, when I handed him a comic once, I accidentally brushed a finger against his, and he shuddered. _Visibly_. Then he hopped onto the bed and scooted as far away from me as possible.”

“I told you not to touch him…” Mr. Loud said.

“I’m sorry! It was an accident…”

“It’s okay, Clyde. I understand.” Mr. Loud decided to ask a question himself. “So, Clyde, did you… make any progress?”

Clyde looked askance at Mr. Loud. “What do you mean, _‘progress’?_ ”

“Do you think your visit might have helped in any way?”

“Oh! Well, I did give Lincoln some of my hyperventilation bags – I told him to use them whenever he started panicking, so that might help. I also tried referring him to Dr. Lopez, since he _clearly_ needs her help more than I do, but he _really_ didn’t want to see a _female_ therapist, so…”

Mr. Loud nodded. “That’s… understandable.”

“I’ll see if she can’t refer some other – _male_ – therapists the next time I visit her,” Clyde said.

“Thank you, Clyde.”

 “Umm, is there, like, anything _else_ you can tell us about him?” Leni asked anxiously.

Clyde sighed again. “Well, his hair’s grown quite a bit, and uh…” Clyde rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. “He… smells _really_ bad.”

“I’ll have to bring him some more moist towelettes…” Mr. Loud said.

Clyde nodded. “Uh-huh, you do that. And, he’s also lost a _lot_ of weight…”

“He _has?_ ” Leni said.

Mr. Loud shook his head sadly. “He doesn’t eat much, anymore…”

The Loud sisters exchanged worried looks.

“And, well…” Clyde continued, “It was really hard not to stare at his _face_ …”

Lori jumped up out of her seat. Her sisters either did the same or leaned forwards intently. “His _face?!_ W-What happened to his _face?!_ ” Lori asked.

Mr. Loud sighed heavily. He knew he couldn’t keep it a secret forever. “Clyde…? Do you mind… giving us all some privacy?”

“Oh, uh, sure, Mr. Loud. No problem – I have to call my dads, anyways…” Clyde got up and began to walk into the dining room, fishing his cellphone out of his pocket, but turned around at the last second. “Um, Mrs. Loud…?”

Mrs. Loud sat upright, craning her neck to look at Clyde. “Yes…?”

“Do you mind if _I_ have a word with _you?_ ”

“Oh –? Uh, sure, Clyde…?” Mrs. Loud said. Still confused, she got up and walked over with Clyde, who began to speak with her while dialing.

Mr. Loud turned back to his daughters. “Girls… please sit back down.”

They did so. He sighed again. This was _not_ going to be pleasant.

“It’s time I told you about Ronnie Anne.”

“What…? _What_ about Ronnie Anne?” Lori asked. “What about _Lincoln_ , and his _face…?_ ”

Mr. Loud closed his eyes. “It’s… related to that.”

The girls began to murmur amongst themselves uneasily.

“You see, it happened about two weeks before you came home – two weeks before it was safe for Lincoln to be around any females. For the first couple of weeks, he was a wreck, just like Clyde said. But he was spending more time with me, and with Lily, and with the pets, and… well, it actually seemed like he was improving. He was starting to talk more, and even _smile_ every so often. And you know, I’d forgotten how much food you save when you cook for just _two_ kids instead of _eleven!_ But, even so, that food eventually ran out, and I had to go to the supermarket to get more…”

(…)

Lincoln blocked the front door, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Please, Dad,” he begged, “ _please_ _don’t leave…_ ”

Mr. Loud kneeled down to Lincoln’s level. “Son, I _have_ to leave,” he said. “We’re almost out of food. I’d take you with me if I could, but it’s still not safe out there for you, yet…”

But Lincoln only cried harder. “Don’t leave me here, Dad… don’t leave me here _alone…_ ”

“I’m _not_ leaving you here alone, son.” Just then, the doorbell rang, and Mr. Loud answered it. “Mr. Grouse is going to be watching you until I get back.”

Mr. Grouse entered, not able to bring himself to look Lincoln or Mr. Loud in the eyes. “Uh… hey there, Loud,” he said.

Mr. Grouse’s presence reassured Lincoln, but he still felt uneasy. He looked at his father pleadingly. “H… How long will you be gone, Dad?” he asked.

Mr. Loud kneeled back down. “Well, I’ll have to go to the supermarket one town over, so I’ll probably be gone for an hour, at the latest.”

Lincoln began to whimper. Mr. Loud put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Lincoln flinched at his father’s touch, but he didn’t scream or run, like he used to.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Lincoln,” Mr. Loud said. “Don’t worry.” He pulled Lincoln in for a hug. Lincoln fought his revulsion and hugged him back, his tears staining his father’s shoulder.

After a few long moments, Mr. Loud broke the hug. Standing up, he said to Mr. Grouse, “Just remember to keep the doors and windows locked at all times, and don’t let anyone inside – _especially_ any females. Just… keep an eye on him, you know.”

Mr. Grouse nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

“All right.” Mr. Loud turned and opened the front door, taking one last look at his scared son before leaving.

Lincoln gulped. This was it – he was all alone. Well, not really – Mr. Grouse was here. _He_ would keep Lincoln safe. Lincoln looked at Mr. Grouse, but Mr. Grouse still didn’t look at him. He could see the guilt in the old man’s eyes – he saw what was happening that day, and he could have done something about it.

Instead, though, he chose to ignore it, and so let everything that followed happen.

Mr. Grouse awkwardly rubbed the back of his bald head. “So, uh…”

Lincoln shook his head. He didn’t want to be a burden. “I’ll… be in my room if you need me,” he said.

Lincoln walked past Mr. Grouse and plodded up the stairs and down the hall to his room. By the time he reached it, he was hearing the sound of the TV downstairs. Stripping naked, he grabbed a moist towelette packet, ripped it open, and began wiping himself all over, especially in the areas where his father had touched him. He knew his father loved him, that he would never hurt him, but he still _hated_ the sensation of his skin touching his.

Every touch reminded him of that day – of all the _bruises,_ and the _scratches_ , and the _bites_ …

After Lincoln was done wiping himself off, he re-dressed and laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling like he always did. He never _looked_ for anything – there was nothing to look _for_. He just stared at the dingy beige ceiling, letting his mind become as empty as the rest of him…

An unknown amount of time later, Lincoln was suddenly snapped out of his stupor by Cliff the cat jumping up on him. As Cliff began to knead his chest, Lincoln couldn’t help but utter a little giggle. The pets were the only ones that could make him happy anymore. He scratched Cliff behind the ears, but as Cliff started to purr, Lincoln realized that he had lost track of time. His eyes darted towards the clock.

An hour had passed. His father should have been back by now.

Lincoln gently lifted Cliff up off his chest and set him aside, got up, and ran downstairs, but screeched to a halt when he saw Mr. Grouse sleeping in the armchair. He knew that once Mr. Grouse was asleep, he wouldn’t wake up for _anything_ (aside from eleven noisy siblings causing a ruckus next door), but he still didn’t want to take any chances.

Lincoln quietly searched every room of the house. His father was nowhere to be found. He nervously peeked out the window at the driveway. “Vanzilla” wasn’t there.

It became clear to Lincoln that his father was not yet back.

Lincoln went back upstairs as quickly and as quietly as he could. His father said that he would be back in an hour, at the latest. It had been an hour. So _why_ wasn’t he back yet? Could something have happened?

Lincoln went back to his room, pacing back and forth nervously. He glanced at the clock every ten seconds, and as each minute passed, he became more and more afraid. Where was his father? What if something happened to him, and he was still gone?

Or… what if something happened to _Lily?_

Lincoln rushed out of his room and into Lily’s, where he saw his baby sister sleeping soundly in her crib. Lincoln sighed in relief. He looked down at the sleeping baby, smiling. She was so cute, so innocent… the only one of his sisters not involved in the incident that day. Lincoln wanted to caress her soft, plushy cheek, but he still couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he slipped quietly out of the room, whispering “Sweet dreams, Lily…” as he closed the door.

So, nothing had happened. Lily was safe. But his father was still gone. What if he _never_ came back?

Lincoln tried to push those thoughts away, tried to relax. His father _would_ be back soon, he told himself – and if anything happened, Mr. Grouse would be there to protect him.

Lincoln smacked his dry lips. All that movement had left him feeling parched. Going back downstairs, he headed into the kitchen for a glass of water. As he gulped it down, Lincoln suddenly heard a noise that made him choke on his drink.

It was the creaking of the back door.

Lincoln wheeled around – and saw his erstwhile girlfriend, Ronnie Anne Santiago, standing there.

“Hey, Lame-o – ah… Um, hey, Lincoln.”

Lincoln froze for just a second, then turned on a dime and ran.

“Huh –?! Lincoln, _wait!_ ”

Ronnie Anne chased after Lincoln, but Lincoln had a head start on her. He managed to reach his room before she reached _him_ , and shut and locked the door. Ronnie Anne caught up and started jiggling the doorknob.

_“Lincoln!”_

Lincoln curled up on his bed. “No… _No… Nonononononono…_ ”

Seeing that the door was tightly locked, Ronnie Anne then started banging on the door.

“Lincoln, _open up!_ ”

Lincoln didn’t move from where he was. _“Nonononononononono…”_

Ronnie Anne growled in frustration, digging through her pockets. She had tried to see Lincoln for _so long_ , but kept getting blocked – first by the paparazzi swarming around the Loud house, trying to get the latest news on the “Loud family situation”, then by Lincoln’s father, who refused to let her see him and never told her why. She had been coming back to the house, day after day after day, staking it out and looking for some kind of opening, but had no luck until today. She saw that the family van was gone, and peeked in through the windows to look for Lincoln’s dad. He wasn’t there – just Lincoln’s elderly neighbor. Seizing the opportunity, she picked the lock to the back door and finally saw Lincoln, but _he_ didn’t want to see _her_.

But Ronnie Anne wasn’t deterred. This was her chance, and she was _not_ going to blow it.

She found her little tools, and got to work on the lock. Compared to Lincoln’s locker, the lock to his bedroom door was so simple, it was almost child’s play – she picked it in seconds.

“Lincoln, I’m coming in…!” she called.

Lincoln only sobbed.

Ronnie Anne opened the door, and saw Lincoln huddled up over on his bed, looking absolutely terrified. It broke her heart to see him like that, and she knew she had to do something about it.

“Listen, Lincoln,” she said, “I just want to talk…”

But Lincoln _didn’t_ want to talk – he desperately wanted to tell Ronnie Anne it wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her, it was just that it wasn’t _safe_ for her to be around him right now – not with the pheromone still in his system. But in his panicked and frightened state, he simply could not spit it out. _“No, please… Please go… Not… Not safe…”_

“ _What_ isn’t safe? Look, Lincoln, I’m not gonna hurt you, or anything…”

Lincoln stood up, shaking his head. _“N-N-N-No! Please, R-Ronnie Anne, you… Y-You have to go!”_ He grabbed Ronnie Anne by the shoulders and tried to push her out, but Ronnie Anne held firm. She was stronger than him.

She had always been stronger than him.

Ronnie Anne pushed back, forcing Lincoln backwards. _“Enough!”_ She forced Lincoln to sit back down on the bed. Panting from her exertion, she sighed.

“ _Look_ , Lincoln,” she said, “I’m _not_ gonna hurt you, okay? I just wanted to tell you that I don’t blame you for what happened, all right? And… And that I’m here for you. I tried to be there for you before, but your dad wouldn’t let me. But I’m here _now_. Okay?”

Lincoln looked at her, his eyes filled with fear. “ _No…_ R-Ronnie Anne, it’s _n-not safe…_ Y-You have to _go…_ ”

But Ronnie Anne shook her head. “I’m not going _anywhere_ , Lincoln. You need help – and I’m offering it to you, okay?” She looked hard at him. He was so _fragile_ , so _innocent_ , and yet still such a man… “I’m here to help you, Lincoln…” She blushed. “As… As your _girlfriend._ ”

Lincoln blinked. _“As your girlfriend”?_ he thought. In all their time together, Ronnie Anne had _never_ called the two of them boyfriend and girlfriend – she just wasn’t that type of girl. So why was she calling herself his girlfriend _now?_ Was it just to make him feel better? Or maybe…

Lincoln looked deep into her eyes, and shuddered. He could see the growing attraction in them – the same attraction his sisters had had in _their_ eyes…

He looked around the room… and realized that by running in here, he had cornered himself.

“P… P… _Please,_ Ronnie Anne,” he said, “go. _Now_.”

“I told you – I’m not leaving. Not now – not when you need me most. I’m here for you, Lincoln.”

Ronnie Anne pulled Lincoln in close.

_“Whether you like it or not.”_

Then, without warning, she forcefully pressed her lips against his, passionately kissing him. Lincoln fought hard to keep his jaw shut, but Ronnie Anne forced it open, and jammed her tongue deep inside, probing around and intertwining with his. Lincoln tried to push her off, but she pushed him down. As she broke the kiss, he struggled to free himself, but Ronnie Anne held firm. She was stronger than him.

She had _always_ been stronger than him.

Knowing that it was his only hope left, Lincoln took a deep breath.

_“MR. GROU – MMPH?!”_

Ronnie Anne, seeing what Lincoln was about to do, quickly pulled one of her socks off and shoved it into his mouth, gagging him. Downstairs, Mr. Grouse stirred, but he did not wake up.

Removing her sweatshirt, Ronnie Anne forced Lincoln’s hands behind his back, and used the sleeves to tie them together. Lincoln’s muffled cries and screams did nothing to dissuade her.

“Hey, sorry, Lame-o, but what can I say?” Ronnie Anne said, unbuttoning Lincoln’s pants. “You’re just… so… _cute_ …”

(…)

“…By the time I got back, it was too late. She had already…” Mr. Loud sniffled, wiping his eyes.

The sisters were completely silent. They continued to listen to their father, aghast.

“It was _my_ fault. I never should have left him there with Mr. Grouse… I never should have left him at _all_ … It was stupid, and irresponsible, and…” It was all too much. Mr. Loud broke down in sobs.

The sisters began to cry, too. It was just as much _their_ fault as well – if only they hadn’t done that to Lincoln that day… if only they hadn’t teased him so badly the night before… if only they hadn’t acted out so much at the local supermarket, getting the whole family banned…!

After they had all cried themselves out, Mr. Loud tried hard to recompose himself. “I…” he said. “After that day, I decided that I would _always_ look out for Lincoln. I would _never_ let him down like that. Not again. _Not_ _ever again._ ”

The sisters blinked, as understanding dawned on them. Suddenly, their father’s harsh behavior was put in a whole new light.

Leni wiped her eyes. “So, then…” she said, “she didn’t just hurt Lincoln’s face, but she also…”

“What?” Mr. Loud said. “Oh, _no_ , honey, she didn’t do that to his face. Lincoln did that to _himself_.”

The sisters all jumped up. _“What?!”_

Mr. Loud stood up. “Follow me, girls.”

He led them up the stairs to the bathroom, and pointed at the mirror. “You see that mirror?”

Lori took a good look. “Hey… it’s _new!_ ” she said.

Mr. Loud nodded. “Lincoln smashed the old one.”

“What?! _Why?!_ ” Leni asked.

Mr. Loud shrugged sadly. “I guess… he didn’t like what he saw…”

Lori gulped. “Dad…” she said, “what _happened?_ ”

“It was a few days after what happened with Ronnie Anne. I was downstairs, and I heard a _crash_. I ran up, and by the time I got there, Lincoln had already taken one of the shards, and made deep, nasty cuts _here_ …” He ran a finger from his left cheekbone down across his lips to the tip of his chin. “And _here_ …” He ran another line from the middle of his forehead down the bridge of his nose to his right cheekbone. “He had made another cut _here_ …” Another line from his right temple down to his jaw, “…before I was able to wrestle the shard out of his hands. I… I held him in my arms, trying to console him, and he just kept muttering _‘cute’_ over and over…” Tears began to form in his eyes again. “I called the hospital, and they had to send a doctor over to stitch his face back together…”

The story sent Mr. Loud and the girls into another bout of hysterical weeping. After they were done, Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “Anyways, after that, he took as many diapers as he could from Lily, and went to bed early.”

He grimaced. “And that was the last day Lincoln left his room.”

The girls all choked and gasped for breath – all except for Lynn, who clenched her fists and began to tremble with rage.

“Dad…” she said in a low voice, “…what did you do with Ronnie Anne?”

Mr. Loud looked at her. “Hmm? With Ronnie Anne?”

_“Yes!”_

“What else _could_ I do? Mr. Grouse and I pried her off of Lincoln and threw her out of the house. It wasn’t easy, though – she put up one heck of a fight.” Mr. Loud pointed at his cheek, and leaning in close, the girls could see some faded scratch marks.

“Even after that, she kept trying to get back inside – back at Lincoln. She picked the locks on the doors, smashed windows open – heck, she even tried climbing up the side of the house, directly to Lincoln’s room! We managed to keep her out, though.”

“Wait – she _smashed windows?_ ” Lana said. “But the windows are fine!”

“They are _now_ – I had them fixed. Anyways, the next day, she came back. She was back to her senses, apologizing over and over again. I told her that I knew that she was under the pheromone’s effects, so I wouldn’t bother pressing charges. But I told her that I didn’t want to see her around _my_ house, or _MY_ son, _ever again_.” Mr. Loud folded his arms.

_“What?!”_ Lynn shouted. _“That’s_ all you did?! After everything _she_ did?!” Unable to contain herself any longer, she began to punch the wall. “ _That… little… WITCH! I swear, the next time I see her, I’m gonna kick – I’m gonna twist her into a human PRETZEL!”_ (Lynn had wanted to use stronger language, but her younger sisters were present.)

Lucy turned to her. “For _what?_ ” she asked. “For doing the exact same thing _we_ did – for the _exact same reason?_ ”

Lynn froze. “I… _I…_ ” Trembling, she wound up for one last punch, and threw it _hard_ , punching straight through the plaster.

**_“DANG IT!!!”_ **

Lynn withdrew her fist, nursing her bleeding knuckles, and stormed off to her room, slamming the door.

_“Lynn!”_ Lori shouted.

Mr. Loud put his hand on her shoulder. “Let her go, Lori,” he said. “She’ll cool off eventually.”

Lori sighed.

Without anything left to see upstairs, everyone headed back to the ground floor. Mrs. Loud met them at the foot of the stairs, alone.

“Where’s Clyde?” Mr. Loud asked.

“He left,” Mrs. Loud replied. “His dads came and picked him up while you all were talking. Say, honey, what happened up there?”

“Um…” Mr. Loud looked at his daughters. “Girls, you can, uh, do whatever you want, now. I need to talk to your mother.”

As Mr. Loud took Mrs. Loud aside, both to tell her what happened with Ronnie Anne and to find out what Clyde told her, the girls looked at each other, lost. None of them really knew _what_ to do with their time. Reluctantly, they all broke off into groups. Lori, Luna, and Lucy headed upstairs; Luan and Lola sat down on the couch and began idly flipping through channels; Leni went next door; and Lana went outside.

(…)

All alone in the backyard, Lana began to play in the dirt and mud, hoping it would cheer her up. It didn’t.

She heard a horrible scraping noise all of a sudden. Looking up, Lana saw that it was Lisa, dragging some sort of machine that looked like a satellite dish across the roof.

“Lisa?” Lana called. “What… are you _doing?_ ”

Lisa stopped dragging the machine – apparently, it was now where she wanted it to be. She looked down at Lana.

“I’m bus _h_ y. Leave me alone.”

(…)

Leni knocked on Mr. Grouse’s door. There was no answer. After a few moments, she tried again. Still no answer. Sighing, she returned home to fetch a pen and paper, hoping to write Mr. Grouse a note saying that she forgave him for what happened that day with Ronnie Anne…

(…)

Lori was about to enter her room when she saw Lucy standing outside hers.

“Lucy!” she called. “You heard what Dad said – leave Lynn alone!”

“Don’t worry,” Lucy said, “I’m just going to get a couple books. I won’t disturb her.”

Lucy opened the door and walked in. After a few moments, Lori heard Lynn shout.

“Excuse me,” she heard Lucy say.

_“Dang it, Lucy!”_ Lynn’s voice rang out. _“How many times do I have to tell you to STOP SNEAKING UP ON ME LIKE THAT?!”_

A loud, dull _smack_ reverberated out from the room through the hallway. Fearing the worst, Lori rushed into Lynn and Lucy’s room – and was horrified to see Lucy sprawled out on the floor, clutching the side of her head and groaning, and Lynn standing over her, fist clenched, realization beginning to come upon her. She looked up at Lori, her expression a mixture of shock and regret.

“I-I-I-I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to –!”

_“Lynn!”_ Lori exploded. _“What is the matter with you?!”_

“I’m _sorry!_ I-I just lost control for a second, and –!”

_“Girls!”_ Mr. Loud called from downstairs. _“What’s going on up there?”_

Lori came to the head of the stairs. “Nothing, Dad!” she responded. “Let me handle this!”

Lori began to go all around the house, calling an emergency sibling meeting. Luna, Luan, Lynn, Lucy, and Lola, already in the house, heard it right away; Lana was called in from the backyard; and Leni, coming back from Mr. Grouse’s, heard it as she came back inside.

The sisters gathered in Lori and Leni’s room. Only Lisa and Lily were not in attendance.

Lori banged her shoe on the table. “I hereby call this emergency sibling meeting to order.”

“What’s this about, Lori?” Leni asked.

“Look, you guys,” Lori said, “we can’t leave things the way they are. Everyone’s on edge – just now, Lynn hit Lucy just for, well, being _Lucy_.”

The other girls cried out, outraged, and glared at Lynn.

“I said I was _sorry!_ ” Lynn said. “I just lost control, that’s all…”

Before the other girls could start yelling at her, Lucy stood up, silencing them. “I know, Lynn,” she said, “and I understand. You were just upset about Lincoln. We _all_ are.”

Everyone else settled down. There was a pregnant pause. Finally, Lynn said, “I just… I can’t believe this is happening…”

Luan sighed. “I just want things to go back to the way they were…”

Lola rested her head in her hands. “I just want to see Lincoln again. Those freckled cheeks…”

“His beautiful white hair…” Leni said.

“That cute little chip in his tooth…” Lori said.

“And those warm, loving smiles that show it off…” Luna said.

All of the girls sighed dreamily.

Lynn curled up, sniffling. “I miss him so much…”

“Me too…” everyone else said.

Lori gained a determined expression, and banged her shoe on the table again. “We’ve got to make this right, girls. We have to get our brother back.”

“How?” Luna asked. “You heard Dad – we’re not allowed to even go _near_ Lincoln. And he’s too scared of us, anyways…”

The Loud sisters all fell quiet, trying to think of a solution. After a while, Luan suggested, “Maybe… Maybe we don’t have to see him _directly…?_ ”

Lucy sat upright. “You guys. _I have an idea._ ”

(…)

The day wore on into night. Nothing else eventful occurred for the rest of the day. The girls took turns showering, but Lisa still remained cooped up in her room, seemingly arguing with someone over the phone. Lily lay in her crib as well, still cheerfully oblivious to the drama unfolding around her.

And Lincoln sat on his bed, hearing them moving around and about, remaining vigilant. He _had_ to be ready if they should ever try anything.

One by one, the Loud sisters all retired to their rooms – all except for Lucy. With a nod of approval from each of her sisters, she slowly approached Lincoln’s door, a piece of paper in her hand.

Lincoln saw a piece of paper pop out from under his door. What was it? Was this another trick? _What_ were his sisters planning?

“Lincoln.”

Lucy’s voice made Lincoln jump. Remembering Clyde’s advice, he grabbed a paper bag and began breathing in and out, in and out, in and out. Soon, his breathing returned to normal. Lincoln looked at the simple brown paper bag, marveling. Clyde was right – it _did_ help him relax.

“The message hasn’t changed, Lincoln,” Lucy said on the other side of the door. “And it still speaks for all of us.”

He heard her footsteps fading away into the distance, and he knew that she was gone. Lincoln eyed the paper suspiciously. It was just a piece of paper. What harm could it be?

…What, indeed?

Lincoln shook his head, and snatched up the piece of paper. Sitting against the door and bracing himself against it, he unfolded it, and saw it was a letter.

No, not a letter… a poem?

_At first, we were filled with laughter/_

_Now we are full of shame._

_We treated it so lightly/_

_As if it were a game._

_But looking back, we realize/_

_We’ve only ourselves to blame._

_We hope you will forgive us/_

_So things will be the same._

_Shame._

Lincoln gasped. It was the same poem Lucy had composed for him that morning – that morning before… the _incident_. She and all the others were under the influence of the pheromone then – but the pheromone was gone now, allegedly. Then, they were being really, truly sincere this time?

This time… they really _were_ apologizing?

Lincoln didn’t understand. He hugged his knees to his chest, holding his Bun-Bun tight. He looked around his room, and realized – for the first time in a long time – that he was alone. Isolated. Cut off from the rest of the world.

And they were right out there, waiting for him to come back to them.

Lincoln felt himself starting to cry. He was so confused, so _scared_. He didn’t know the truth from the falsehoods, who he could and could not trust, where it was _safe_ for him.

All he knew was… he was alone.

Lincoln cried quietly, his tears going unseen in the dark…


	8. A Little Quiet And Peace

_“Lincoln…”_

Lincoln ran as fast as he could down the hall, but he wasn’t getting any closer to his room. His sisters, though, were getting closer to him.

_“Lincoln…”_

Lincoln pushed his legs harder. His door was starting to get closer, but his sisters were right behind him.

_“We love you, Lincoln…”_

Lincoln kept running, but turned his head. His sisters smiled at him deviously, reaching and grasping for him, their eyes glowing bright red.

Terrified, Lincoln pushed his body to the limit, managing to reach the door to his room, run inside, and slam and lock the door just in time. He heard his sisters clawing at the door, howling with rage.

Lincoln sighed, relieved, but then heard a voice behind him.

“You think you’re safe in here?”

Lincoln wheeled around to see Ronnie Anne standing there, leering at him.

“It’s _not safe_ , Lincoln…”

Lincoln tried to back away from her, but felt his back press up against the door. He reached for the lock, but felt his sisters pounding away on the other side. He _wasn’t_ safe. Not in _here_ … and not out _there…_

It _wasn’t safe._

“I’m here for you, Lincoln… _Whether you like it or not…_ ”

Lincoln wanted to run, to push her back, to do _something_ , but he couldn’t. His body wasn’t listening to him anymore – it was as if he was immobilized. He wanted to scream, to shout for his father – but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. He couldn’t _run_ , and he couldn’t _scream_.

He was helpless.

Ronnie Anne advanced on him, undressing. She pushed him down to the ground, getting on top of him.

_“You’re just… so… cute…”_

(…)

_“AAAAHHHH!!!”_

Lincoln awoke screaming, drenched in sweat. Panting, he looked around the room quickly for Ronnie Anne, but quickly realized it had all been another nightmare. He was relieved only for a short while, as the sounds of his sisters outside his door nearly sent him into another panic attack.

Hearing him scream sent the Loud sisters rushing out of their rooms on instinct again, but this time, Lori stopped them.

“Guys, guys, _wait!_ ” Lori called. “Remember what happened yesterday…”

Everyone stopped, looking sheepish. Deciding that they neither wanted to unduly frighten their brother nor anger their father, they all regretfully left Lincoln alone.

The girls went downstairs, where breakfast was on the table, waiting for them. Mr. and Mrs. Loud sat in their usual places at the head of the table.

Mr. Loud gulped. “Um…” he said uneasily, “Good morning, girls.”

None of the girls looked him in the eyes as they responded, “Good morning, Dad,” and sat down. Even saying “good morning” had become awkward…

Breakfast proceeded much the same as it had yesterday. Mr. Loud brought two plates upstairs to Lincoln and Lisa, still cooped up in their respective rooms, and brought Lily back downstairs for her breakfast. No-one could think of anything to say – and no-one was in the mood for conversation, anyways…

No-one, that is, except for Lori and Lucy.

_“Psst… Lucy!”_ Lori whispered.

Lucy looked at Lori.

_“Did Lincoln get the poem last night?”_

Lucy nodded.

_“What did he say?”_

_“Nothing –”_

“Excuse me, girls?”

Lori and Lucy flinched at their father’s voice. At a table as quiet as theirs, even whispering couldn’t go unnoticed.

“Mind telling me what’s so secret that you two have to whisper about it?” Mr. Loud asked.

“I… We, uh…” Lori stammered.

Lucy knew what was about to happen, and decided to take one for the team. “Dad…” she said, “ _please_ don’t be mad…”

Mr. Loud put down his knife and fork, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes at the girls. “What did you do?”

“Last night…” Lucy looked around the table, feeling everyone’s gazes on her. “ _Sigh_ … Last night, we… sent Lincoln a poem.”

“ _What?_ A _poem…?_ ” Mr. Loud shook his head. “Wait-Wait a minute – you girls _talked to Lincoln?_ ”

“Not _really_. We thought that if we didn’t try to see him _directly_ , he wouldn’t freak out. So, we slipped a poem underneath his door.”

“Poem… What _poem?_ ”

“One of mine. It was about how bad we felt, and how sorry we were. We… We just wanted him to know that, Dad…” Lucy turned her gaze downward.

Mr. Loud leaned forward, scratching his chin. This was an unusual situation. On the one hand, they had disobeyed his orders, and saw Lincoln behind his back. On the other hand, they meant well, as usual, and there didn’t _seem_ to be any harm done…

Mrs. Loud recognized the problem as well, and decided to help Mr. Loud out. “Well, girls…” She sighed. “You know your father told you _not_ to talk to Lincoln and _why_ , right?”

Lori nodded. “We know, Mom. We just…” She blinked the tears out of her eyes. “We just thought… we had to do _something_ to try to help him…”

 “And we didn’t scare him. We promise,” Lucy said.

“Are you _sure_ about that?” Mrs. Loud asked. She turned and looked at Mr. Loud expectantly. After a moment, he realized that she expected him to get to the bottom of the matter. He stood up.

“Come on, girls,” he said.

The Loud sisters all got up out of their seats, and followed their father upstairs. Mr. Loud came up to Lincoln’s room, and gently knocked on the door.

“Lincoln?” he called.

There was no answer. Mr. Loud knocked again.

“Lincoln, it’s me, Dad. You know that.”

There was still no answer. Inside, Lincoln sat on the bed, watching the door. Of _course_ he knew it was his dad. He also knew that his sisters were out there, too – he had heard them all coming up the stairs.

Lincoln knew they were waiting out there for him – but what did they _want?_ Were they waiting for him to come out, so that they could assault him again? Or were they waiting for him to come out, so that they could _accept_ him again?

That was one thing that Lincoln _didn’t_ know. And he didn’t know if he could take that chance, either…

Mr. Loud knocked a third time. “Lincoln, it’s _okay._ They’re not gonna hurt you if you just _talk_ to me…”

Lincoln knew _that_ was true, too. He didn’t know why he hadn’t known it before. For the first time in two weeks, he gathered up the strength to talk, _truly_ talk, to his father.

“H… H… H-H-Hey, D-Dad…” Lincoln called from the inside.

Mr. Loud blinked, surprised. He honestly hadn’t expected Lincoln to respond. “Um… hey, son. It’s… it’s good to hear from you again.”

Lincoln smiled slightly. “Mm-hmm.”

Mr. Loud chuckled, before rubbing the back of his head. “Um, listen, Lincoln… Your sisters said that they gave you a poem last night. Is… that _true?_ ”

Lincoln’s smile vanished. How did he know about the poem? Did _they_ tell him? Why? Wait… the _poem!_ His sisters wanted to apologize, right? Then, there was no harm in telling him the truth… _right?_

“Mm… Mm-hmm…” Lincoln said.

“Oh…” Mr. Loud said. “Then… Um… So, ah… What… did you _think?_ ”

Lincoln fell silent. They had written the poem for him that day – when they were beginning to fall in love with him. Lucy said that its meaning hadn’t changed. What was its meaning _now?_ Did they mean to say that they were still in love with him – the more innocent sort of love that they had felt earlier that day? Or was it more literal? Were they really, truly apologizing for their actions that day?

Or… were they still as lustful as ever, and they had sent him the poem just to taunt him?

Lincoln shook his head. It was all so unclear, so _confusing_ …

“I… I don’t know…” he said. “I just… _don’t know…_ ”

Mr. Loud closed his eyes – he understood his son’s fractured state of mind. “Okay, Lincoln,” he said, “that’s okay. Just… Just… I’ve spoken with them, and believe me when I say that they’re back to their old selves, and that they really are _very_ sorry.”

Lincoln stared into space, pensive. He knew he could trust his father – but then, he thought that he could trust his sisters, too, before they violated him. Could he _really_ trust his father, then? He had looked out for him so faithfully, but abandoned him at a crucial moment. How could he believe his father when he said that he was sorry for leaving him? How could he believe his father _now?_ Maybe he was just mistaken – maybe the girls had fooled him, just as they had fooled Lincoln…

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard a scratching noise at the door, and froze. What was happening? What _was_ that?

Outside, Charles the family dog scratched at Lincoln’s door. Ignorant of what was happening, he tried to get in to see Lincoln in his room, as he had done for the past two weeks until the girls came home. Though Mr. Loud was unhappy with Charles’ unwelcome intrusion, it gave Lori an idea.

She walked up to Mr. Loud. “Dad,” she said, “do you mind if I try something?”

“Huh? Try _what?_ ” Mr. Loud asked.

Lori walked up to Lincoln’s door, and knocked as gently as she could. “Lincoln…?”

Lincoln tensed up. What did _she_ want? What were they planning? _Were_ they planning anything?

“Charles wants to come in,” Lori said. Then she walked back to the group.

Lincoln heard her footsteps retreating. The scratching continued. Was she _really_ gone? Was that _really_ Charles? As Lincoln continued to debate back and forth, he heard Charles whine. That low, sad whine tugged at Lincoln’s heartstrings, and made him realize that it really _was_ Charles.  He remembered how much he missed his pets. Gulping, Lincoln decided to take the risk. The door would only be open for a second, and if they tried to get in, his father would save him, just like he saved Lincoln from Ronnie Anne.

Trembling, Lincoln grasped the doorknob, summoned all his courage, and opened the door a crack. Charles ran in, panting happily.

Lincoln shut and locked the door, and sighed in relief. It _wasn’t_ a trick. His sisters _hadn’t_ lied to him. So, did that mean that they really _were_ back to normal? Or… had they just changed tactics, playing a long game?

Lincoln sat on his bed, clenching his pant legs. He didn’t know.

He just _didn’t know._

Outside, Mr. Loud had watched everything happen. Amazed, he left Lincoln to play with Charles and turned back to his daughters.

Lori, equally amazed that her plan had worked, said, “Well… Well _there_ , you see, Dad? Lincoln _knows_ now that we don’t want to hurt him. And if we just give him his space, it’ll be fine.”

“I…” Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “Well, I’m not all that sure about that first part, but, well, it does seem like he’s a _little_ bit more comfortable around you girls, so…”

“ _Please_ , Dad, just give us a chance. We promise that we won’t try to see him unless he wants us to. Just… let us _talk_ to him…”

Mr. Loud shut his eyes, carefully considering the situation. Finding that he was unable to make a decision on his own, he asked the girls to wait upstairs while he discussed the matter with Mrs. Loud. As the two of them debated downstairs, the girls waited anxiously. Finally, the parents came upstairs together.

“All right, girls,” Mrs. Loud said, “we’ve decided that you can talk to Lincoln.”

The girls gasped with joy, but Mr. Loud held up one hand.

“Just… don’t pester him too much, alright?” he said. “He might tolerate your presence a bit more now, but he still needs his space…”

The girls all quickly nodded and thanked their parents. Lori excused herself and went to her room, and the others followed her. Once everyone was inside, the girls all shrieked and squealed, ecstatic.

“Dudes! It _worked!_ ” Luna said.

“He knows now… he knows how we really feel…” Lucy said.

“Oh, it’s been _so_ long… I can’t wait to talk to him again!” Leni said.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go talk to him now!” Luan said.

Many of the other girls voiced their agreement, and prepared to herd out of the room, but Lori stopped them again.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, guys, _guys!_ _Hold on!_ Remember what Dad said – we can’t pester him too much!”

The girls groaned, disappointed.

“We should probably only see him one at a time,” Lori said.

“Well, then _I’m_ seeing him first!” Lola declared.

“Hey! _I_ wanna see him first!” Lana said.

“No, _I_ do!” said Lynn.

The girls quickly broke out into argument. Some claimed seniority, others friendly demeanors best suited for speaking with Lincoln, and others nothing at all, just loudly declaring that they were going to see Lincoln first. Once again, Lori had to intervene.

_“Guys! GUYS!!!”_ she shouted, stepping in between the girls and breaking them up. _“Cool it!_ Listen, I get it – we _all_ want to talk to Lincoln. But… But you know what?” Lori looked at Lucy. “I think Lucy should go first.”

The other sisters started complaining, as expected. But Lori waved for them to be quiet. “Guys, this was _her_ idea. It was _her_ poem. It’s only fair if _she_ gets the first turn.”

Many of the girls pouted, but they understood what Lori was saying. Lola said, “Fine – but _I’m_ going after her!”

Before the arguing could flare up again, Lori spoke up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, _hey!_ Let’s not start _that_ again. How about…” She paused, devising a plan. “…We won’t go in any specific order. I’ll just pick someone, randomly, every time someone finishes talking to Lincoln. Everyone else will just have to wait.”

The others were not satisfied with Lori’s decision. “Well, what are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Lynn asked.

“That’s for you to decide,” Lori replied.

“…Well, how come it has to be random?” Lola asked.

“To make things as fair as possible.”

Some girls still groused and grumbled, but everyone seemed to accept that.

“All right, then. Now remember, girls, we have to make Lincoln see that we love him, and that we want him back. So, be gentle, and try to coax him out. Lucy, you’re up.”

(…)

Charles scratched at the door, begging to be let out. Lincoln pressed his ear against the door, listening for any strange noises. He didn’t hear any. Quickly, he unlocked the door, let Charles out, then closed and locked the door just as quickly. He could never be too careful…

As Lincoln returned to the bed, a knock on the door sent a chill down his spine.

“Lincoln.”

It was Lucy. Lincoln checked to make sure the door was shut and locked.

“I just want to talk,” Lucy said.

_Talk?_ Talk about _what?_ Was this some sort of ploy? Lincoln wasn’t sure what she was up to, but he _did_ wonder what she wanted to talk about… Deciding to risk it, he grabbed a paper bag and sat with his back against the door – just to be safe.

Lucy heard him sitting down on the other side, and sat down leaning against the door as well. They both sat, silently, for about five minutes.

“…Did you like my poem?” Lucy eventually asked.

Lincoln jumped, surprised by the sound of her voice. “U-Uh… I-I-I-I…  Uh…” His fears were confirmed – he couldn’t talk to his sisters after all. He fell quiet.

Seeing that he was still uncomfortable talking, Lucy said, “I know you’re scared. I get it – I would be, too. But you have to believe me, Lincoln – we’re back to normal, now. And we just want things to go back to normal, too.”

Lincoln started to tear up. He wanted more than _anything_ to believe that, but… how could he?

He didn’t think he could handle being broken again…

Lucy couldn’t control herself, either. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she turned to face the door. “Lincoln…” She placed her hand on the door.

_“We just want our brother back…”_

Hearing that made Lincoln completely break down. And hearing Lincoln sobbing made Lucy break down, too. After a good few minutes of crying, both of them calmed down, sniffling, and Lucy wiped her tears away.

“Please, Lincoln… We miss you…”

Lincoln hugged his knees to his chest, shivering. “I… I-I-I…” He rested his head in his lap. “I… _can’t…_ ”

Lucy hung her head. “O… Okay, Lincoln… I understand…”

Hearing Lucy’s footsteps fade into the distance only made Lincoln feel worse.

(…)

Lori piled the last of the dirty dishes in the sink, and her mother took over washing them. She came out into the living room, about to head upstairs to her room, when she met Lucy at the foot of the stairs.

“Hey, Lori.”

Lori jumped. “ _Gah!_...Oh, hey, Lucy. You done talking to Lincoln?”

Lucy nodded. “Yeah. I think you should give him a little time before you send someone else, though…”

“Right, right… So, um… what… did you two talk about?”

Lucy shrugged. “…Nothing much…”

Lori sighed. “All right… Well, your breakfast is still there. It’s cold, but if you’re still hungry…”

“All right.”

Lucy walked past Lori into the dining room, and Lori headed upstairs. She stared longingly at Lincoln’s door…

…and her view was suddenly blocked by Lily.

“Wha…?” Lori saw that Lisa had pushed Lily and her crib out of their shared room and into the hallway. As Lori walked over, Lisa went back inside, and came back out pushing Lily’s changing table as well.

“Lisa!” Lori said.

Lisa looked at her oldest sister, somewhat annoyed. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“I can no longer tolerate the pres _h_ enc _h_ e of my younges _h_ t s _h_ ibling, as _h_ it provides an unwelcome interferenc _h_ e with my work. Plac _h_ e her in another room, if you would pleas _h_ e.”

“’Work’? What ‘work’?”

“That is _h_ none of your conc _h_ ern. Good day.”

Lisa went back into her room and shut the door without another word. Incensed, Lori banged on the door.

“Lisa! _Lisa!_ ”

There was no answer, except for the sound of welding. Lori continued to bang on the door and call for Lisa, to no avail. Finally, she gave up, and pushed Lily’s crib and changing table down the hall into her room, grumbling all the while…

(…)

Lincoln lay on his bed, feeling empty, but staying alert. Once again, he became painfully aware of how small and cramped the room was…

An unknown length of time passed before a knock on the door had him sitting upright.

“Uh… hey, Lincoln…”

It was Lynn. What did _she_ want? Lincoln braced himself against the door again, worried that she might try to kick the door down…

“Do you mind if I just… I dunno… bounce my ball here for a little bit?”

Lincoln didn’t answer, but after a few moments, he heard the dull _thump_ ing of Lynn’s tennis ball bouncing against the door. As usual, Lynn was doing her thing with or without permission…

After a minute or so of bouncing, Lynn stopped. “I… I’m not bothering you, Lincoln, am I?”

Again, there was no answer. Lynn looked at the ball in her hands, and sighed, dropping it. “Listen, Lincoln, I… I-I’m _sorry_ , alright? Everything that happened before… That wasn’t _me_ , okay? It… It wasn’t _us…_ ”

There was still no answer. After another minute, Lynn slumped her shoulders and gave up. She picked up her ball, but before she left, she said:

“This… It’s not a family without _you_ , Lincoln.”

Lynn left, and the gears started turning in Lincoln’s head. It was clear now – they were trying to get him to leave his room. But _why?_ Did they just want him to come out of his shell? Or were they trying to trick him into lowering his guard, so that they could molest him again?

Was he defending himself… or was he driving away the only people trying to help him?

Lincoln shook his head. He didn’t know. He just _didn’t know…_

(…)

“What do you mean, you don’t want to see Lincoln?” Lori said.

Leni shrugged, averting her gaze. “I’unno… I thought about it, and I just, like… don’t think he’ll be happy to see me…”

“Leni, you are the sweetest, kindest person I know. If anyone can get through to Lincoln, it’s _you_. _Please_ , Leni… do it for us.”

But Leni shook her head. “Lori, thanks, but… I just don’t wanna do this. And… I don’t think Lincoln does, either…”

“Leni, _please_ –”

“Lori, this is _my_ decision. Please try to understand…”

Lori hung her head, sighing. She didn’t get it, but then, Leni wasn’t someone who was easily gotten… “Okay, _fine_. If that’s what you want, then _fine_. I’ll get someone else…”

As Lori walked away, Leni called after her, “Don’t be mad, Lori…”

Lori turned back to Leni, still walking away. “I’m _not_ mad, Leni.”

When Lori turned back around, she saw Lola standing in front of her. “Hey, Lori,” she said, “if Leni’s not going next, can _I_ go instead?”

But Lana stomped up behind her and protested. “ _Hey!_ Lola, what do you think you’re doing, trying to go next?!”

Lola scoffed. “ _What?_ She _said_ we’d be going randomly!”

“Yeah, but here _you_ are, trying to get her to let _you_ go next!”

“Oh my gosh, Lana, _get off my case!_ ”

The twins began bickering and shouting at each other, until Lori shouted them both down. _“Hey! HEY! That’s ENOUGH!”_

The twins stopped fighting – for the moment.

“ _Neither_ of you are going next, after _that_ little spat! Both of you are just going to have to wait.” And with that, Lori went down the stairs.

“Aw, _what?_ _Come on, Lori! She_ started it!” Lola shouted. Their argument started up again, but Lori kept walking to the living room.

Luna was sitting on the sofa, staring at the powered-off TV. Lori sat down next to her.

“Um… _hey_ , Luna,” she said.

Luna didn’t answer.

Lori rocked from side to side in her seat awkwardly. “Um… it sure is… _quiet_ around here…”

Luna picked up the remote and turned on the TV, turning up the volume. She turned to her elder sister. “Happy?”

Lori furrowed her brows and folded her arms, watching the TV. It was tuned to a news channel.

“…meanwhile, the governor has been attempting to push his new bill advocating more careful scrutiny for wrongdoing in the chemical industry through the Senate, citing the infamous Loud case as an example the dangers corruption can have on the population…”

Footage of the incident started playing on the screen. Lori covered her ears and shut her eyes. _“Aaahhh! Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!!!”_

Luna quickly did so. Both sisters sat there, panting, before Lori said, “Listen, Luna, you _know_ what I mean.”

“What’s the _point?_ ” Luna growled. “It’s just loud and annoying…”

“That’s not true, Luna. Your music is _awesome_ , and it raises our spirits! And we need our spirits raised now more than ever…” Lori looked at her rocker sibling expectantly.

Luna sighed, and got up. _“Fine.”_

(…)

Lincoln heard another knock on his door. They just _kept coming…_

“Hey, Linc,” Luna said. “I, uh… I’ve got my guitar here, and, uh… I dunno, I thought I’d just play you a song…”

Lincoln sat against the door again, but listened intently. Plot or no, it had still been so long since he’d heard Luna play…

Luna didn’t have a specific song in mind – she just strummed her guitar, and tried to play the way she felt. She soon became lost in the melody, letting her mind drift off as she made up lyrics as she went. The lyrics were indistinct, at least in her mind – speaking about love, loss, regret, and other things. The flow was irregular, but Luna didn’t care, instead letting the music – and her feelings – flow…

Her improvised song ended. Luna came back to reality, and realized that she was crying. Listening to the other side of the door, she realized that Lincoln was crying, too.

“Lincoln…” Luna said.

Lincoln kept crying.

Luna got up. She felt as though there was nothing more she could do for him. She walked down the hallway to the stairs, still strumming her guitar…

(…)

Luan sat on her bed, browsing on her laptop. Lori knocked on the door, and Luan looked up.

“Hey, Luan,” Lori said. “What are you doing?”

Luan shrugged. “Oh… just browsing my old comedy website…” She scrolled down the page, smiling sadly. “So many… _hateful comments…_ ”

Lori walked up and shut the laptop. _“Don’t listen to them,”_ she said. “ _None_ of them really understand what you did _or_ what you’re going through right now. _Don’t listen to them._ ”

Luan blinked at her, then nodded. “Yeah, you’re right, Lori. They’re just trying to get me to lash out – trying to lure me into a trap.” She shrugged. “I guess that’s why they call it the ‘Inter _net_ ’…”

Normally, Lori would have groaned at one of Luan’s lame puns, but now she burst out laughing. “ _Ahahahahaha!_ _Hahahahaha!_ _Haha… Ha…_ Ha… Oh, _man,_ Luan, that was a _good_ one!”

Luan rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “ _Heh, heh_ … Yeah, well… I guess I can’t help being myself…”

“ _Ah…_ Man, I feel like we could _all_ use a good laugh right now…”

Then Luan got an idea. She put her laptop aside and stood up.

“Yeah, you know what, Lori? I think we _could_ …”

(…)

Another knock. _Another_ sister.

“Hey, Lincoln!” Luan called. “I’ve got some jokes for ya!”

Jokes? That was typical of Luan, but Lincoln wasn’t in the mood to laugh. Before he could tell her off, though, she started.

“So, did you hear about the two silk worms in a race? It ended in a ‘ _tie’! Hahahahaha!_ ”

Lincoln got the joke, but he didn’t laugh. Luan continued.

“And hey, did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a _‘soft drink’! Hahahahaha!_ ”

This time, a snicker escaped Lincoln’s lips.

“By the way, Lincoln, someone stole the toilet! We’re trying to figure out who, but we have nothing to ‘ _go on’!_ _Hahahahaha!”_

Lincoln couldn’t resist anymore – he burst out laughing. It was music to Luan’s ears.

Luan spent the next half-hour telling Lincoln joke after joke after joke, and by the time Luan had exhausted her supply of bad jokes, Lincoln was on the floor gasping for breath. Luan smiled – she was _so_ happy to see Lincoln happy again…

“Hey, Linc, listen,” Luan said, “I really enjoy telling you jokes like this and all, but I wish I could see your face while you laugh, you know…?”

Lincoln’s good mood vanished into thin air. There it was _again_ – that attempt to get him to leave his room. It couldn’t be denied anymore – they _were_ trying to manipulate him into leaving his room. He still didn’t know exactly what their intentions were, but their constant hovering over him wasn’t making it any easier to figure out!

Luan noticed how quiet it had become in Lincoln’s room, and knocked. “…Lincoln?”

There was no answer.

“Lincoln, what’s the matter?”

Still no answer.

Luan stared at Lincoln’s door, confused. For some reason, Lincoln didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She didn’t want to press the issue, so she turned to leave.

“Um… Well… see you, Linc.”

(…)

The day had worn on late into the afternoon. Lori wondered if Lisa would like to speak to Lincoln. Though she had been acting strange and aloof ever since they had returned home, and she hadn’t even been involved in the plan from the beginning, Lori felt Lisa still deserved a chance to talk to Lincoln.

Lori stood outside Lisa’s room, and overheard Lisa arguing with someone.

“…can’t do this _h_ to me! After everything I’ve contributed to NAS _h_ A, you’re s _h_ erious _h_ ly going to jus _h_ t cut me off, jus _h_ t like that?! _No,_ no, you lis _h_ en to _me_ , you ungrateful little –”

 Lori knocked on the door. “Lisa?”

“ _Ugh…_ Jus _h_ t a moment, I will be right back. No, no – don’t you _dare_ hang up on me! I’ll only be away for a few s _h_ econds _h_!”

Lisa opened the door and glared up at Lori, who saw that her younger sibling was wearing her headset.

“Um, Lisa? Do –”

“I’m bus _h_ y. Leave me alone.”

Lisa slammed the door in Lori’s face, then resumed talking into the headset. “I’m back, now – wha…? Hello? _Hello?! UGH! Unbelievable…!_ ”

Lori guessed that she was busy, and left her to her business. Just then, she heard a crash behind her, coming from the twins’ room. Peeking in, she saw that the two were fighting once again.

“You come any closer, and I swear, I’ll _pound_ you!” Lana said.

“Just _try_ it! I’ll tell Dad!” Lola responded.

Lori didn’t know what this feud was about, and she didn’t care. As the twins started coming to blows, she intervened again. _“HEY! Both of you, STOP IT!”_

Lola and Lana directed their glares towards Lori.

“You guys,” Lori said, “can’t you stop fighting for just _one minute?_ ”

_“When am I gonna get to talk to Lincoln?!”_ Lola demanded.

“Wha –? You can go _right now_ , if it means you’ll shut up about it!”

_“FINE!”_ Lola stormed out of the room.

Lori assumed the problem was solved, but was quickly proven wrong by Lana angrily hitting her.

“ _OW!_ What was that for?!”

“You’re _always_ taking _her_ side!”

“What?! I _literally_ am _not!_ ”

“Then when is it gonna be _my_ turn?!”

“You can go after Lola!”

_“See?! It’s always ‘after Lola’!”_

_“It is NOT! Ugh!_ _Lana, what do you WANT from me?!”_

Lana was starting to tear up. “I… I want… _I want…_ ” She dropped to her knees.

_“I want Lincoln…!”_

As Lana curled up into a ball on the ground, crying, Lori came to a realization. In every one of the twins’ arguments, she had never _once_ asked what the problem was. That was what Lincoln always did. _No-one_ could resolve conflicts like Lincoln could. She was too bossy; Leni, too airheaded; Luna, too wild; Luan, too silly; Lynn, too aggressive; Lucy, too gloomy; Lola and Lana, too immature; Lisa, too detached; and Lily, too young. Time and time again, Lincoln had proven to be the most mature, level-headed among them.

And they had broken him.

It was at that moment that Lori truly understood how much the family needed Lincoln’s guidance – how much they needed _him_.

Lola came back into the room, sniffling.

“W… What’s the matter?” Lori asked.

“Lincoln… Lincoln told me to _go away!_ ” Lola cried.

_“What?”_ Lori began to pace the floor. “No… Oh, oh no… W-We’re losing him… We’ve got to do something!” She involuntarily thought back to what Leni had said.

_“I just, like… don’t think he’ll be happy to see me…”_

Lori got an idea. There was still one sister that Lincoln _would_ be happy to see…

(…)

Lily burbled and giggled when Lori’s big face came into view. Before she knew what was happening, Lori was lifting her out of her crib.

“Come on, Lily,” Lori said, “don’t you want to see your big brother Lincoln?”

Lily clapped her hands. _“Linky!”_

“That’s right! _‘Linky’!_ Come on!”

Lori took her baby sister out of her room and down the hall, knocking on Lincoln’s door.

“Lincoln?” she called. “Lily _really_ misses you… She wants her big brother… Won’t you come out and hold her?”

Lincoln had had enough. They just wouldn’t leave him alone. Oh, they had started out nice at first, but they moved on to guilt-tripping quickly, and tried to subvert his mind with music and jokes!

And now they were using _Lily_ against him?!

He didn’t care what their intentions were – he was _not_ going to stand for _that_. Lincoln stood in front of the door. He wasn’t going to give them what they wanted, but he was still going to give them a piece of his mind.

He raised his leg… and kicked the door _hard_ , screaming:

**_“LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”_ **

Outside, Lori jumped backwards, startled, and Lily started crying. The other sisters, hearing the commotion, rushed over and surrounded Lori.

“What happened?!”

“What did you do?!”

“You made Lily _cry!_ ”

“N-No… I didn’t…”

“Is Lincoln crying in there, too?”

“What did you _say_ to him, Lori?!”

“I thought you told us to be gentle!”

“Your stupid plan didn’t work!”

“But… I thought we all agreed to it…”

“ _Thank_ you, Leni!”

“It was still _her_ plan!”

The other sisters (barring Leni) closed in on Lori, hurling abuses and accusations at her. But before they could start doing any _physical_ damage, they heard Mr. Loud’s authoritarian voice shout:

_“Hey, hey, HEY! **ENOUGH!** ”_

The girls slowly turned to see their incensed father standing at the head of the stairs again. Lori tried to appeal to him for help.

“D-Dad –”

But Mr. Loud pointed down the stairs. _“Downstairs. Now!”_

The girls all fearfully obeyed.

Once downstairs, the girls congregated on the living room sofa. Everyone had inched away from Lori.

Mr. Loud marched back and forth in front of them, while Mrs. Loud sat in the armchair.

“Girls,” Mr. Loud said, “ _what_ in the world was going on up there?”

Lori started to speak up, but Luna cut her off. “ _Lori_ said something that made Lincoln snap,” she said.

_“Lori!”_ Mrs. Loud said.

_“N-No! You don’t understand!”_ Lori cried. “I… I didn’t say anything wrong! He just started yelling at me all of a sudden, and…”

“And do you have any idea _why_ he might have started yelling?” Mr. Loud asked.

“ _No!_ I just… We were all talking to him, and –”

_“What?!”_ Mr. Loud turned his gaze through every Loud sister present. “Girls! _What_ did I say about giving Lincoln his space?!”

This time, everyone turned to Luna to speak for them all. Luna started sweating. “U-Um… Uh… D-Dad, we _did_ give him his space! W-We only saw him one at a time…”

Mr. Loud pinched the bridge of his nose. “Girls… You realize that there are _eight_ of you, right?”

The girls looked at each other sheepishly.

“Um, D-Dad, we…” Luna sighed, slumping over. “We’re _sorry_ , Dad. We… We just wanted to see him again! We thought, if we all convinced him that we were sorry, and that we didn’t want to hurt him, he’d come out of his room…”

Mr. Loud quietly contemplated all of this. Then, he shook his head, sighing as well. “Girls… look, I get it, all right? I understand. You want to see Lincoln again – your mother and I do too! But… with everything that’s happened to him… He needs _time_ , all right?”

Luna looked up at him. “W-We… We were just trying to help, Dad…”

“I _know_ you were, girls, but… you just can’t rush these things, you know?”

The conversation ended there. No-one said a word for the longest time, as everyone reflected on what was said, and what was done.

Then, a quarter of an hour later, the doorbell rang.

Everyone got a jolt from the sound. Then, to the girls’ surprise, Mr. Loud started laughing.

“W… W-W-What’s so funny, Dad?” Luan asked.

Mr. Loud fought back his laughter, and said, “I… _heh, heh…_ I just remembered that, just before all of _this_ , I… _haha_ … I ordered a couple pizzas for you girls to make you feel better, and… and for being such good sports!”

He broke down laughing at the irony again, and everyone joined him. Lori and Luan were right – they _did_ need a good laugh.

Mrs. Loud answered the door and paid for the pizza. The deliveryman recognized the family, but was respectful enough not to say anything about it. The girls enjoyed the pizza, but ate it in silence – the guilt over the incident earlier was starting to come back. By the time dinner was over, their good spirits had gone, and by the time they went to bed, they were feeling worse than ever.

Before going to bed, Mr. Loud knocked on Lincoln’s door. “Lincoln?”

_“Go away!”_ Lincoln shouted.

Mr. Loud recoiled, surprised by his son’s hostility. “I… son, I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk about what happened –”

_“No! NO MORE TALKING!”_ Lincoln threw something at the door.

“B… But…” Mr. Loud sighed. “A-All right, Lincoln, we’ll… we’ll talk about it when you want to talk about it.”

Leaving Lincoln to stew by himself, Mr. Loud went downstairs to the master bedroom, where he sat down wearily on the edge of the bed. Mrs. Loud put a hand on his shoulder.

“Honey?” she said. “Are you alright?”

Mr. Loud shook his head. “… _No_ , Rita. I’m _not_ alright. _Nothing_ is alright. It… It feels like this whole thing is a nightmare…”

Mrs. Loud looked grim. “Lynn… maybe… Maybe we should… consider taking Clyde’s advice…”

Mr. Loud looked up, shocked. _“No!”_

“Lynn, it would be best for everyone!”

“I’m not letting my girls down! Not _again_ – I… I can’t fail them _again…_ ”

“You _won’t_ be failing them, Lynn!”

“Honey, I… I… I-I don’t know, just…” Mr. Loud looked at his wife pleadingly. “Just… give them one more chance, _please?_ And, and if it doesn’t work out, then we’ll do it, okay? We’ll go with what Clyde said. But… But just give them _one more chance_ …”

Mrs. Loud looked at her husband for a few moments, then reluctantly nodded. “…Okay, fine. One more chance. _But they’d better behave themselves from now on_ …”


	9. School Days

When morning came to the Loud house the next day, it came early. All the Loud girls were awoken at 7 a.m. by the sound of their mother calling them to breakfast.  They came out of their rooms, rubbing the sleepiness out of their eyes and looking somberly at Lincoln’s room. It seemed that he was fortunate enough not to have had a nightmare last night – or, if he did have one, then at least he hadn’t woken up screaming from it.

Or… maybe he was still asleep – still having a nightmare…

The girls didn’t know. And without seeing him, they couldn’t find out.

With heavy hearts, the girls left Lincoln alone, filing down the stairs to the dining room. Their parents were waiting for them with breakfast. The girls mumbled _“Good morning…”_ to Mr. and Mrs. Loud, and sat down to eat.

As they started eating, Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “Now, girls, uh… you realize that it’s early, right?” he said, trying to ease them into what he was about to tell them.

The girls were all too aware of that, and nodded groggily.

“And do any of you know _why_ your mother and I woke you up so early?”

The girls shook their heads. They didn’t know why they should _care_ , either.

Mr. Loud sighed. “It’s… _Monday_. A _school day_.”

The news reached the Loud sisters’ sleepy heads slowly, but when it _did_ reach them, it hit them like a truck. Several girls nearly choked on their mouthfuls of food, and all of them looked to their father, horrified. Before they could say anything, however, Mr. Loud held up his hand, calling for silence.

“Girls, girls, _hang on_ … I know what you’re going to say, but just hear me out first. Now, your mother and I talked it over last night, and we decided that we’re not going to _force_ any of you to go to school if you don’t want to – for _now_ , at least.” He paused, looking around the table. “So… does anyone _want_ to go to school today?”

Lucy, Lola, and Lana all looked at each other anxiously. _None_ of them were brave enough to face Lincoln’s friends and classmates – and they wondered if they ever would be. They all immediately shook their heads.

The table was quiet for a minute after that. Then, Luna raised her hand. “Well… I guess I’ll go. _Someone_ has to…”

Seeing this, Luan and Lynn raised their hands.

“I’ll go, too,” Luan said. “I mean, if _I_ give up, then what hope is there, huh?”

“Me too,” said Lynn.

Lori realized that they were following Luna’s lead, and said that she would go to school too – but the others didn’t seem to care.

Everyone looked at Leni. She didn’t know if she wanted to go, herself, but seeing the others willing to go made her feel obligated to do so as well, so she raised her hand and said that she would go.

“Alright, then,” Mr. Loud said. The five older Loud sisters lowered their hands. “Honey, could you drive them to school?” he asked his wife.

Mrs. Loud nodded. “All right, dear.”

“Okay.” Mr. Loud got up. “Well then, girls, you know the drill. Be ready by 7:40. I’m going to see if Lisa wants to go, today.” He went to the kitchen to fetch Lincoln and Lisa’s breakfasts.

Mrs. Loud turned to her daughters. “Well, come on, girls – start eating, or you won’t be ready in time.”

The five eldest Loud daughters picked up their utensils and began eating as their father headed upstairs. Lori found her eggs to be a little bland, so she asked, “Hey, could someone pass the salt and pepper?”

Even though Luna was the closest to the salt and pepper shakers, she didn’t move a muscle to pass them to Lori. Lori raised an eyebrow at her.

“Excuse me? _Luna?_ ”

Luna ignored her, continuing to eat her own breakfast. Finally, Mrs. Loud slammed her fork and knife down onto the table.

“Luna, _pass the salt and pepper to Lori,”_ she ordered.

Luna stopped chewing. She glared at Mrs. Loud, then shook her head and grabbed the shakers, slamming them down in front of Lori, without even looking in her direction.

_“Luna!”_ Mrs. Loud said.

_“What?!_ I _passed_ them, _didn’t I?!”_ Luna snapped.

Mrs. Loud stared at her daughter, taken aback. Luna had _never_ sassed her before in her entire life – _none_ of her children ever had. But before she could give Luna the scolding of a lifetime, Luna realized what she had just said. Her eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head.

“I… I’m sorry, Mom…” she said.

Mrs. Loud shut her mouth, clenching her jaw. Then, she picked up her fork and knife, and resumed eating, steaming.

Luna exhaled shakily. That had been a close one…

It was at this moment that Mr. Loud came back downstairs. Mrs. Loud looked up at him curtly.

“Lisa?” she asked.

Mr. Loud was put off-balance by the venom in her voice. “Uh… n-no,” he answered.

Mrs. Loud looked back down at her meal. _“Hmph.”_ She stuffed another mouthful of eggs into her mouth.

The tension in the air remained all throughout the rest of breakfast. After they were finished eating, Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn all took their dirty dishes to the kitchen, and grabbed coffee mugs from the cabinet. They didn’t really _need_ coffee after Mr. Loud’s announcement and the incident with Luna, but it was part of their daily routine.

Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn all filled their mugs without fuss, but when Lori stepped up, Luan snatched the mug out of her hands.

“Allow _me,”_ she said.

Luan took the coffee pot, and poured the coffee in. As the coffee began to reach the lip of the mug, though, Luan didn’t stop pouring. Finally, the mug overflowed, spilling coffee on the floor. Before Lori could shout in protest, Luan shoved the mug back into her hand, splashing coffee on her.

_“HEY!”_ Lori shouted.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” Luan asked. “Now you’ll be _‘full’_ of energy!” Normally, she would have laughed after a pun like that, but instead she held a glare and a scowl.

Lori gritted her teeth and squeezed her mug so hard, it almost cracked. As Luan picked her mug back up and started to leave, Lori pointed to the mess on the floor that she had made.

“Well, you’re cleaning this up!” she said.

“No, I’m not!” Luan replied as she left the kitchen.

Sputtering, Lori turned to her other sisters. Luna and Lynn, unsympathetic, shrugged and sipped their coffee. Leni, feeling rather helpless, could only do the same. Growling furiously, Lori grabbed a paper towel, threw it on the floor, and used her foot to move it back and forth, wiping up the coffee.

After having their coffee, the girls began to get ready for school. They dressed, brushed their teeth, and applied makeup. They cut it close, but ultimately managed to be ready in time. As they gathered at the foot of the stairs, Mr. Loud took Mrs. Loud aside.

“Listen, honey,” he said, “are you going to go to work, today?”

“I…” Mrs. Loud clenched the strap of her purse. “I… I don’t know…”

“Rita, _look_ … The money from the trial isn’t going to last forever – especially now with the girls back in the house. _Someone_ has to go out and win bread for the family… I mean, _I’d_ do it, but I can’t leave Lincoln alone with the girls, he couldn’t take it…”

Mrs. Loud nodded. “I understand, honey, but… I don’t know, how would Dr. Feinstein, or the patients, react to seeing _me_ working in the office?”

“They’re all mature adults, honey – they can handle it,” Mr. Loud reassured her. “They’ll know you… didn’t… _go as far_ as the girls did; they’ll understand.”

Mrs. Loud considered that for a few moments, then shook her head, sighing. “I hope you’re right, Lynn…”

Mr. Loud hugged his wife. “It’ll be okay, honey. Trust me.”

Mrs. Loud hugged him back, kissing him on the cheek. “Okay.” The two broke the hug, and Mrs. Loud turned to her daughters. “Alright, girls, let’s go.”

The girls all followed their mother out into the driveway. Lori came up to the side with the sweet spot and opened the door, but Lynn sprinted up and jumped up on it.

_“Hey!”_ Lori said.

“Sorry, Lori,” Lynn said mockingly, “but this seat’s taken. You can have _that_ one.” She jerked her thumb backwards to the seat behind her.

“But… But that’s the _soggy seat!”_ Lori protested.

“Well, it’s the only seat left for _you!”_

Lori looked around “Vanzilla”, and saw that Luna was sitting in the passenger seat, while Leni and Luan sat in the same row as Lynn. Lori balled her hands into fists, trembling. She stared straight at Lynn.

_“Move.”_

Lynn just smirked. _“No.”_

Fed up, Lori stomped her foot and shouted, _“Do you want to tell me just WHY you are all deciding to be jerks to me this morning?!”_

Lynn frowned and shrugged. “Oh, I dunno – ask _Lincoln.”_

_“Wha –?_ I told you, _that wasn’t my fault!”_

“Excuse _me,_ but _whose_ idea was it to have _everyone_ talk to Lincoln _in a row, on the same day?!”_

As the two’s arguing began to heat up, Mrs. Loud honked the car horn. _“Alright, that is ENOUGH!”_ she shouted. All the girls looked at her. Mrs. Loud sighed. _“Look,_ girls… Lori… Lori just made a mistake that day, all right?”

_“Mom!”_ Lori complained.

“Excuse me, young lady, but _I_ am talking!”

Lori piped down, but she was beginning to cry. Mrs. Loud continued, “She made a mistake that day, but it was an _honest_ mistake, okay? She… she thought she was doing the right thing. So, don’t hold it against her.”

Lynn snickered, and that made Lori’s blood boil. Mrs. Loud looked at Lori through the side-view mirror. “Lori, _please_ … we’re running late.”

Lori looked back at Lynn, who jerked her thumb back towards the soggy seat again. She looked at her other sisters, but none of them were about to give up their seat for her. (Leni would have, but she had the sticky seat, which wasn’t much better.) In the end, Lori had no choice but to climb into the back, by herself, sobbing.

Lucy heard the horn honking, and looked out the window to the driveway. She had watched the scene unfold, and as the van pulled out of the driveway, she left the window and walked up the stairs, thinking. She knew Lori couldn’t have known Lincoln would snap like that – _none_ of them could have known. With a mind as unstable as his, there was just no telling… But she still couldn’t forgive her for making Lincoln cry. Lincoln was already in so much pain as it was, and her little plan just caused him more.

Lucy came to the head of the stairs, and gazed longingly at Lincoln’s door. She wished he wasn’t so afraid of her; she wished she could see him, _comfort_ him. She imagined herself sitting down on the grass, holding Lincoln’s head in her lap, running her fingers through his white hair. She imagined Lincoln looking up at her, tears in his eyes, but smiling; broken, but ready and waiting to be fixed by her –

Lucy froze. She felt a tightening in her chest. She recognized this feeling – and it filled her with dread.

_“No…”_ she whispered. _“Oh, no, no, no, no, no…”_

She ran into the room that she shared with Lynn. She grabbed the bust of Edwin, her vampire crush, and cradled it.

“Oh, Edwin,” Lucy said, “I know what’s happening. _I just don’t know if I can accept it…”_

(…)

The car ride to school was quiet. No-one would pay Lori any mind except Leni, and even she only gave one concerned glance, saying nothing. It was clear to Lori what was happening – the others didn’t respect her authority anymore; they didn’t respect _her_. She knew that she couldn’t rely on seniority anymore; she had to do something to earn that respect back…

But she didn’t know what to do.

“Vanzilla” pulled up to Royal Woods High School. Lori, Leni, and Luna grabbed their backpacks, exited the van, and stared up at the entrance to the school. They had had plenty of time to think about, and come to regret, their decision along the way, and now that they were there, they felt like they were standing at the gates of Hell.

“Girls?” Mrs. Loud called.

The three of them turned to look at their mother.

“Girls, _listen,_ it’s going to be okay. Okay? Don’t listen to what anyone says about you. No matter what, just remember that it’s _not your fault._ Okay?”

The girls looked hesitant.

_“Okay?”_

Their shoulders still slumped, the girls sighed and nodded. “Okay…”

Mrs. Loud got out of the van, walked over to her three eldest daughters, and hugged them all together. _“I love you, girls.”_

The girls hugged her back, shaking. _“L… Love you too, Mom.”_

Reluctantly, Mrs. Loud let go of her daughters, and returned to the van. She started it up, and after one last look at Lori, Leni, and Luna, drove off to drop off Luan and Lynn.

The girls watched their mother leave sadly. As the first bell rang, they turned to face the school again. People were picking up their belongings, getting ready to get to class. More than a few stopped in their tracks when they saw the three of them.

Luna gulped, turning to Lori and Leni. “Well… here we go…” she said.

Lori and Leni looked back at her. “Uh-huh…”

Each of them took a deep breath, and marched forward. As they came up to the entrance, they started getting closer to other students, who scurried away from them as though they had an infectious disease. The stares and the avoidance continued as the girls entered the school building and went their separate ways. The three of them had never had any classes together in their time at Royal Woods High, and this year was no different. In fact, their classes were so far apart, they never even saw each other until lunchtime.

As Leni and Luna parted ways with Lori, she felt her apprehension rising.

She was alone now.

Fortunately, her first period class wasn’t far. She slipped into her Mathematics classroom, only to find more stares on her inside. Lori nervously headed towards her seat next to the window, and when she reached it, the students sitting behind, in front of, and next to her all scooted their desks further away from hers. Lori sat down, dejected, and the teacher launched into his lecture, desperately trying to pretend that it was business as usual.

The period passed without incident, though Lori could feel gazes on her all throughout class. But then the bell rang, and the students had their five-minute interval to get ready for their next class. Lori packed her notebook and pencil, zipping them up in her pack, but she lingered by the door. Lori always took the same route to her second period class – the route that brought her to her friends, who always gathered in the same spot between first and second period. Lori wanted to see them, but… did _they_ want to see _her?_

“Lori?” her teacher called.

Lori jumped. _“H-Huh?!”_

“Are you alright?”

Lori looked back at him, and realized that everyone else had left. Feeling embarrassed, she shook her head. “N-N-No, I… I-I mean, _yeah!_ I’m fine!” She grinned widely, and started backing towards the door. “W-Well, uh… _I’m fine!”_

Lori rushed out the door and slammed it behind her, leaning against it shakily. What was she _saying?_ What was she _doing?_

She shook her head hard. She had to see her friends.

Lori went to the hallway leading to the Art room. Her friends were gathering at the other end. As soon as Lori stepped into view, the entire hallway went quiet. Once again, Lori felt everyone’s eyes on her. It was different, now – everyone was more awake, more _alert_. Lori could feel the silent judgement emanating from everyone’s eyes. She clutched her books close to her chest, took a deep breath, and started walking forwards.

And as she passed the first few people… the whispering started.

Lori knew exactly what everyone was whispering about. She picked up the pace, but tried to stay at a walking speed and look composed. Her friends saw her coming, but pretended not to.

Lori came up to them. “Uh… hey, guys.”

Nobody responded. Whitney closed her locker, then started opening it again. Becky scrolled back and forth through her phone. The others continued awkwardly talking to each other, or otherwise tried to act like she didn’t exist.

Lori sighed, rubbing her arm nervously. It was unavoidable, so she decided to just come out and talk about it. “Listen… about what happened –”

Whitney opened her locker, then slammed it shut again. “Hey, does anyone _else_ feel like going to class early today?” she asked.

The others readily agreed. The group split up without letting Lori say a word, each going to their own class. Becky shared a second period class with Whitney, so Whitney beckoned to her.

“Let’s go, Becky,” she said.

Becky hesitated for a moment, then complied. Lori reached out to her.

“Becky, _wait…!”_

Becky stopped. Whitney turned around to face her, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. Sighing, Becky turned to face Lori.

“Becky…” Lori said, “this… What happened, it’s…” She recalled what her mother had told her and her sisters when she had dropped them off. “…It’s not my fault. You… You know that, right?”

Becky started shaking, her teeth chattering. “I… I-I-I…” she stammered.

Lori looked at her pleadingly. “Becky, _please_ , you _have_ to believe me…”

“I…” Becky looked back at Whitney, who narrowed her eyes at her.

“Come on, Becky…” Whitney said in a low voice, _“let’s go.”_

Becky turned back to Lori again, tears starting to form in her eyes. She shook her head.

“I… I just don’t know _what_ to believe, anymore…”

She turned her back to Lori, and started walking with Whitney.

“Becky, _wait!”_ Lori called, but it was too late. They were already gone. Lori felt weak at the knees, and kneeled down.

_“Wait…”_

(…)

Lori barely made it to second period. As usual, Monday was free-drawing day in Art class – according to Mrs. Adams, the teacher, it helped “get the creative juices flowing” for the rest of the week. Lori sat alone at her table, idly playing with her pencil, staring at the blank piece of paper in front of her for the majority of the class period.

She heard Mrs. Adams snap at two students, who apparently had been gossiping in class – about what, Lori could guess. She heard footsteps coming closer, and a shadow covered her. Looking up, Lori saw that it was Mrs. Adams. She was a large, middle-aged African American woman who claimed that she was fat because she was full of spirit – and her students certainly agreed.

“Lori?” Mrs. Adams said gently. “You okay, sweetie-pie?”

Lori dropped her pencil, staring at the paper again. _“Mm…”_

Mrs. Adams took her hand, surprising Lori. She picked up the pencil, and placed it in Lori’s hand. She tapped the piece of paper. _“Draw.”_

Lori shrugged. “Draw… _what?”_

“Whatever you feel. Come on, Lori, it’ll be better for you to just express yourself, instead of keeping it all just bottled inside.”

Lori sighed. She knew that Mrs. Adams was right, but she hadn’t the faintest idea what she really _was_ feeling at that moment. Mrs. Adams looked at her expectantly. Not wanting to disappoint her, Lori took the pencil, and drew a circle. She looked at Mrs. Adams.

“Keep going,” she encouraged.

Lori turned back to the paper, and looked at the circle. It was almost perfect. Without really thinking, she added some ears to it. She drew two eyes, a nose, and a little smile. She drew some hair, with three tufts sticking up, and added two buck teeth to the smile. She put three dots on each cheek for freckles.

Mrs. Adams chuckled. “Cute little face,” she said.

Lori blinked. “Huh…?”

She took a more careful look at the face that she had just drawn, and noticed something. Those buck teeth she had drawn… They weren’t two teeth. They were _one_ tooth, with a chip in the middle.

It wasn’t just any face Lori had drawn.

Tearing up, Lori took the piece of paper, and crumpled it. As she threw it away, Mrs. Adams asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lori held her head in her hands. _“What’s the point…?!”_

Just then, the bell rang. Lori sniffled, wiped the tears out of her eyes, and packed up. As the students left the classroom, Mrs. Adams called, “Now, don’t forget – bring your charcoal pencils tomorrow!” As Lori was about to leave, she added, “And, Lori, a word…?”

Lori stopped. Gritting her teeth, she turned to face her teacher.

“Listen,” Mrs. Adams said, “I know I’m not a counselor, but if you want to just… _talk_ … then I can write you a late pass, and we can talk about whatever you want. Okay, Lori?”

Lori stood there, trembling. That would be nice, she thought – to just _talk_. But despite how good the offer was, she resisted it. Perhaps she wanted to try and retain some modicum of control, but whatever the reason, Lori found herself shaking her head.

“N… _No,_ Mrs. Adams, really… I’m okay. It’s… it’s okay.” Lori couldn’t look her teacher in the eyes as she said those words.

“Are you _sure…?”_

“Y-Yes, I’m sure.”

Mrs. Adams held her gaze on Lori for a few moments longer, then shook her head. If she didn’t want help, then she didn’t want it. “Okay, then.”

As Lori turned to leave, Mrs. Adams added, “Just remember, Lori – you don’t _have_ to fight every battle by yourself.”

Lori stood in place for a few seconds, still facing away, then walked away.

(…)

Lori went straight to third period from her second class, not stopping for anything. She must have been walking faster than she intended, because she was among the first to get to her History class. The teacher, Mr. Marshall, cleared his throat when he saw Lori enter.

“Ah… _ahem…_ Good morning, Lori.”

 Lori didn’t answer. She just found her seat, and opened her notebook, trying to focus on class.

One by one, the students came in, and class began. The topic of the week was ancient Rome, and as it was the beginning of the week, the topic was naturally on Rome’s beginnings. Lori began to studiously take notes, trying to keep up with the teacher, but as the lecture went on, she thought about what she already knew about Rome’s founding – and froze.

“But the final straw for Rome and her people came when Sextus, the son of King Tarquinius Superbus… raped a Roman noblewoman named Lucretia, causing her to commit suicide.”

The pause was almost imperceptible, but everyone still caught it. All eyes turned to Lori. Lori rested her head on her desk, trying to cover her face with her arms. How could she have been so stupid…? First she had forgotten about Romulus betraying his only brother, and now _this?!_

If she had known about the class’s topic… she never would have come to school that day.

Mr. Marshall cleared his throat again. _“Ahem…_ So, Lucretia committed suicide, and the Roman nobles, led by Lucius Junius Brutus, rose up in rebellion, and drove the Tarquinii out of Rome…”

The lecture continued, but Lori had stopped taking notes. She just stared forward, letting the words bounce off of her ears.

She was snapped out of her stupor by the boy next to her discreetly tapping her on the shoulder. He reached a note out from underneath his desk, and handed it to her. The note read “For Lori”. Trembling, Lori unfolded the note – and let out an involuntary gasp as she read the two words written on it:

_WHORI LOUD_

She looked at the boy who had passed it to her, and he gave a little shrug and a jerk of his head backwards, indicating that he had received it from someone else.

“Excuse me, Lori?” she heard Mr. Marshall say.

Lori jumped. _“Ah!”_

Mr. Marshall walked up to her. “Is that a note?”

Lori looked down at the note. “I… _I…”_

“Let me see it.”

Lori looked up at her teacher, and felt his stern gaze. With a trembling hand, she handed the note to him. Mr. Marshall scanned the note once, and his face lit up with shock.

_“Wha –”_ Outraged, he turned to the rest of the class, brandishing the note. _“Who wrote this?!”_ he demanded.

No-one moved. Someone stifled a giggle.

_“Whoever wrote this, come up and say so NOW, or you’ll ALL be punished!”_ Mr. Marshall shouted.

Some students looked around the room, but no-one raised their hand or stood up.

Mr. Marshall composed himself. “So…” he said in an even voice, “no-one wants to own up to it, _hm?_ Fine. Then I guess I’ll just have to stick _everyone_ with detention.”

Several students gasped and exclaimed in protest, looking around to try and sleuth out the author of the note. Lori shook all over, tears starting to flow.

Mr. Marshall saw this. “Oh, not _you_ , Lori. You won’t have detention – wha? _Lori?”_

Lori pushed herself out of her seat and past Mr. Marshall. As she ran out of the room, he called out, _“Lori!”_

Lori couldn’t control it anymore – she started sobbing openly as she ran through the halls. She ran past a hall monitor, who recognized her even as he shouted for her to both not run and show her hall pass. Lori ran straight to the bathroom, shutting herself in a stall and crying her eyes out.

Some of her friends were in that class.

Even after the bell rang again, Lori remained in the stall. The tears had run out now, and she was left gasping and hiccupping. She waited anxiously for someone to come in.

She needed to _know_ what people were really saying about her.

Her wish was quickly granted. Lori heard the door open, and footsteps reverberated across the tiled floor. It was three girls.

The girls stopped in front of the mirror, probably applying makeup. “Hey, so, like, did you hear that Lori Loud and her sisters are back?” one of the girls said.

“Um, _duh!”_ another girl said. Lori recognized the voice as Carol Pingrey’s. “That’s what _everyone’s_ talking about. Thank you, Captain Obvious!”

“Oh! U-Um, s-sorry, Carol. You’re right. Totally. How silly of me.” It was obvious that this girl was a sniveling toady.

“Well, but it _is_ crazy, though. Can you believe she had the _nerve_ to show her face in this school again? After what she _did?”_

“Yeah, I know, right? Totally! She’s so, like, _stuck-up_ , or whatever!” the first girl said.

_“Hmph._ Little tramp thinks she can just waltz back in here and pretend nothing ever happened? Go back to being Little-Miss-Pretty-And-Popular? Not _this_ time!”

_“Hahahaha! Totally!_ Although, um… I wonder what made her do something like that, though…?” the first girl wondered, having some individual thought for once.

“I heard it was a pheromone in that fountain water,” the third girl said. _She,_ at least, had _some_ sense.

_“Tch!”_ Carol scoffed. “I bet that was just a lie, cooked up by their lawyer. That was a good lawyer that they had. First, he has dumb little Leni Loud give a dumb little sob story to get the jury all emotional. Then he splashes a little fizzy water on himself, pretends it’s a chemical, Leni pretends to go gaga over him, and the jury buys it – hook, line, and sinker. Stupid Louds…” She finished applying her makeup. _“Ah…_ You know what I think? I think they’re all just _sluts_ , plain and simple.”

“Come on, Carol… That’s a bit _harsh_ , don’t you think?” the third girl said.

“Think about it – it went back further than all of _this,”_ Carol said. “Listen – you know all about Hugh, that cute British guy from the community college? About how all the Loud girls were crushing on him – including little miss Lori? Now, I don’t blame the others for crushing on a hot guy, but Lori didn’t even have the decency to break it off with Bobby Santiago before going after him! And then, the has the _gall_ to act like she still owns him – I mean, _what?_ Sounds to _me_ like she just wants all the cute boys for herself…”

_“Ahahaha! Totally!”_ the first girl said.

“Yeah. So, anyways, now _this_. Lori’s _little brother_ , Lincoln. Cute, in that ‘little brother’ kind of way. White hair’s pretty cool, too. The kind of forbidden fruit a girl like _her_ just can’t resist taking a bite out of. God, she’s _insatiable_. And not just _her_ – _all_ of her sisters, too, even the _little ones!”_ Carol uttered a low giggle. “Little girls doing big girl things… and in front of a crowd, _in broad daylight?_ If _that’s_ not slutty, I just don’t know what _is_ …”

The third girl sighed. “Whatever.”

“And now she thinks she can just come back and act all high-and-mighty again? I don’t _think_ so. We need something to cut her down to size…”

The first girl gasped. _“Wait! Wait! O! M! G! I TOTALLY forgot!”_

“Huh? _What?_ What _is_ it?” Carol asked.

“Okay, okay, so, like, you know my uncle, over in Huntington Oaks? Okay, he, totally, like, said, this weekend, said, like, he saw Lori Loud and her sisters – not _all_ of her sisters, just, like, the four older ones –”

“Get to the point, already!”

Lori wanted to rush out – to stop that girl from saying what she thought she was about to say. But she knew that wouldn’t stop anything. At best, it would only delay the inevitable. At worst, it would only make her look like an eavesdropper.

And besides… her legs felt like jelly.

“My uncle said that he saw Lori Loud and her sisters going into _the abortion clinic!”_

Carol gasped and squealed. _“What?! Oh my God, WHAT?!?! Oh, oh my, that, that is too…”_ She broke down laughing for a good minute. _“Ah… Ahahahaha… Aha… Oh… Oh… Oh my God, that is TOO PERFECT!”_

“Wait – your uncle says a _lot_ of things, though…” the third girl said. “Like, that the Rapture was going to come six years ago?”

Carol snapped her fingers. “Dang it, she’s right. Sorry, Stacy, but your uncle being a religious nut _does_ kinda hurt his credibility…”

“No, no, it totally _helps!”_ the first girl, Stacy, said. “See, he goes to the abortion clinic a lot – to, like, try to convince people not to go through with abortions? Y’know, ‘protecting the sanctity of life,’ and all that? He _swears_ by the Holy Trinity – so you, like, _know_ he’s being serious – that it was _totally_ them!”

“Oh, my God, this is _perfect!_ _TOO perfect! Nice_ one, Stace!”

“Oh my gosh, _thank you, Carol! Thank you so much! Totally!”_

“Girls, come on! We have _GOT_ to tell anyone with two working ears about this!”

“But will they believe _you_ , though?” the third girl wondered.

_“Mmh…_ You’re right, Steph,” Carol said. “If they hear it from _me_ , they’ll think I’m just trying to start a nasty rumor…”

“Right. So, _maybe_ we shouldn’t start one in the first place…” the third girl, Stephanie, said.

But Carol Pingrey chuckled slyly. “Oh, _Stephanie_ , you’re always the most _reasonable;_ the most _reliable;_ the most _trustworthy.”_

“Uh… _thanks…?”_ Stephanie said.

“That’s why _you’re_ spilling the secret.”

“Wh- _What?! Me?!”_

Stacy laughed. “Oh my gosh, Carol, _genius! Totally!_ Everyone will believe _Stephanie!”_

“H-Hey, _no!_ I-I can’t do something like _that!”_ Stephanie protested.

“You _can_ , and you _will,”_ Carol said. “That is… unless you want everyone to know how you _really_ feel about Teresa Gutierrez…”

“W… _What…?”_

“Hey, it’s okay, Steph! We’re your _friends_ , we _understand!_ It’s a progressive era – it’s _okay_ to be like that! But you know how _some_ people just can’t accept that… people from _another century_ … an _older generation…”_

There was a long pause. Then, Lori heard Stephanie sigh. _“You guys are the worst…”_

“Oh, you know you love us,” Carol said smugly. “All right, come on, girls! Let’s let everybody know just how much of a whore Lori Loud _really_ is…”

The three girls left the bathroom as the bell for fourth period rang. Lori came out of her stall after a minute, as soon as she was sure the coast was clear, and looked herself in the mirror. Her mascara had run – was _still_ running. She thought she was out of tears, but no – here were more. That was it. It was over. Soon, everyone would know about her and her sisters aborting their brother’s babies, and then…

And then it would all be over.

Lori stumbled out of the bathroom, almost in a daze. She wasn’t going to fourth period. Instead, she headed somewhere quiet. Somewhere isolated.

Somewhere like the courtyard.

Lori came out into the open air. The sun was shining through the clouds, and the birds chirped gaily. Lori paid them no mind. She just sat down on a bench, in the empty courtyard, feeling emotionally drained.

And the day wasn’t even halfway over, yet.

She pulled out her phone, like she always did when she couldn’t think of anything to do. She thought about what Mrs. Adams had said to her.

_“You don’t HAVE to fight every battle by yourself…”_

That was true, but who was left help her fight _this_ battle? Her sisters had turned against her thanks to her plan gone awry yesterday; her friends had all abandoned her, too. Even her _parents_ didn’t seem to fully support her, given that lecture her mother had given the lot of them before leaving the driveway.

She scrolled through the texts she had sent Bobby… and got one last idea.

She dialed Bobby’s number, and listened to the dial tone.

To her surprise, he picked up almost immediately.

Lori quickly recognized the dial tone cutting off. _“Bobby?!”_

There was no answer on the other end.

“H… Hello…?”

There was still no answer. Lori could hear faint breathing, though.

“Bobby, I _know_ you’re there. Please…”

There was still no answer initially, but Bobby finally responded. “…Hello, Lori.”

“Bobby, I… I-I-I… I-It’s been so long…” Lori immediately felt stupid for saying that.

“Uh… yeah… Y-You know, I was just about to call you, actually…”

_That_ surprised Lori. “Y-You _were?”_

“Yeah. Y-You see, my mom said that I needed to provide _closure_ …”

_“‘Closure’?”_ Lori realized just what he meant. “Wait… No… No, no, _no, no, no,_ Bobby… Bobby, _please, no…”_

“I’m sorry, Lori, but I… I… I just _can’t_ , okay? I… I just _can’t…”_

“Bobby, Bobby, _please,_ not _you,_ too! First my _sisters_ , then my _friends_ , even my _parents_ , and now _you?_ _Please, Bobby… Please… You’re all I have left…”_

“Lori, I’m _sorry,_ all right? But, but after everything that’s happened –”

“It’s not my fault! _Please_ , Bobby! _It’s not my fault!”_ Lori sobbed.

Bobby was quiet for a moment before responding. “Look, Lori, I _know_ you. Okay? I could accept that you didn’t want to be in a long-distance relationship, but after hearing about what happened at the park, I… I _know_ that you would _never_ be capable of doing something like _that_ yourself.”

Those words gave Lori a ray of hope, before Bobby’s next words snatched it away.

“But… I just can’t forgive what you did to Lincoln.”

Lori gasped. “I-I…”

“I _saw_ him, Lori. I _saw_ how he was after… _that_. Lincoln is my _bro,_ Lori. And you… You _broke_ him, Lori. You… _broke him.”_

Now _that_ was one thing that Lori couldn’t refute. “But…” She turned to her only remaining defense. “It’s… It’s _not my fault…”_

“That doesn’t change what you did, Lori. I’m sorry.”

Lori knew that Bobby was just about to hang up. Desperately, she lashed out at him. _“H-How can you do this to me, Bobby?! How can you say that to me, after… after what Ronnie Anne did?!”_

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Finally, Bobby’s voice came back through. “W-What…? What did Ronnie Anne do?”

Lori started. “You… You _don’t know?”_

“Know _what?”_

“Ah…” Lori wondered if Bobby could handle the truth. “Uh… _nothing._ Never mind.”

But Bobby wasn’t so easily dissuaded. “Lori…” he said threateningly, _“…tell me.”_

Lori gulped. There was no way out of this now – she had just crossed the Rubicon. “O… Okay… Um… D-Do you remember… two weeks ago…?”

“Wha –? Wait, _two weeks ago?!”_ Bobby said, now even more invested. _“Lori!_ You know where she went?!”

“Huh…?” Lori said, confused. “Uh, Bobby? Why don’t… Why don’t you start by telling me what you know about Ronnie Anne’s side of the story – you know, to help me understand?”

Bobby cleared his throat. “Well, uh, she… she came with me to visit Lincoln, but your dad wouldn’t let her see him. He said something about it being too dangerous for her to be around him so soon… I didn’t understand what he meant by that, but Ronnie Anne still wasn’t happy about it. We headed back home, and three weeks ago, she… well, she just _vanished. Disappeared._ We didn’t know what happened, but we called the police, searched all over the city, but we just didn’t find her… Then one week later, she turns up back home – wouldn’t tell us where she had gone, or why, or _anything_. She just shut herself in her room, and hasn’t talked to anyone since. She broods in there a lot. We’re all really worried about her…”

Lori processed all of this information. “I… I see…”

_“Please,_ Lori, if you know what happened to her, _tell me.”_

Lori took a deep breath. “Bobby…” She sighed. This was _not_ going to be pleasant. “She… she came to our house, here in Royal Woods. That pheromone that they said made us do what we did? It’s _real._ And… And she got affected by it, and she… _ah..._ _She… She did the same thing to Lincoln that we did…”_

There was complete and utter silence on the other end. Lori couldn’t do anything except pant emotionally and await his response. After a while, the tension became unbearable.

“B… Bobby?” Lori said tentatively.

Bobby’s voice was weak, barely audible. _“I… I-I… have to go…”_

“Bobby, _wait –”_

Too late; Bobby hung up. Lori heard the tone, and her arm felt weak, and the phone felt heavy. She carelessly let it slip out of her grasp and drop to the ground. It was over; she had no-one left to lean on. No-one left to help her. Not her sisters, not her friends, not her parents, not Bobby…

_No-one._

Lori felt so empty. She had failed; of _course_ she had, that seemed to be all that she was capable of doing these days. She had failed to convince Lincoln to come out of his room; she had failed to convince _anyone_ that she was blameless for this catastrophe; and she had failed to convince Bobby to come back to her.

She was useless.

_Worthless._

 Lori needed some place even more alone than the courtyard to suit her mood. Not far away, there was a dirty alleyway behind the auditorium. That seemed to be as good a place as any. She got up and walked towards it…

And saw a blonde girl in a green dress sitting there, crying.

Lori walked up to her sister, sitting on the filthy ground. “…Leni…?” she said emotionlessly.

Leni sniffled, looking up at her older sister. “L-Lori?”

“What… are you doing…?”

Leni sniffled again. “My… My friends told me… They told me that _they couldn’t be seen with me anymore…!”_ She started crying again.

Lori chuckled mirthlessly. “At least they _told you so…”_ she whispered under her breath.

Leni wiped her eyes. “…I thought they were my _friends…”_

Lori shook her head. “We don’t _have_ friends, Leni. _Not_ _anymore…”_

The lunch bell rang. Students began to pile out of their classrooms, eager for some lunch.

“It’s lunchtime…” Leni said.

Lori nodded slightly. _“Yeah…”_

Leni got up, brushed herself off, and took her listless sister by the arm. “Come on, Lori… we’ve got to find Luna. _She’ll_ know what to do…”

(…)

Luna sat alone at her table, quietly eating her lunch. The cafeteria was bustling, as usual, but today, she was now acutely aware of the noises around her. People at the tables around her were muttering, and every time someone passed her by, she heard something like _“whore”_ , or _“bitch”_ , or _“rapist”_ …

Luna ate her lunch, and suffered in silence.

A blonde punk girl with brightly colored clothing and a colored streak in her hair sat down at Luna’s table.

“Um… hey, Luna,” the girl said.

Luna looked up. “Sam…?”

“You looked like you needed some company.”

Luna looked around, finding Sam’s rocker friends. “Shouldn’t you be sitting with your friends…?” she asked.

Sam shook her head. “I’d rather sit with _you.”_

Luna sighed. “Sam… _no._ Please… just… _leave me alone.”_

“I’m not going to do that, Luna. Don’t try to act tough. You _need_ me.”

“No, Sam, you don’t understand…” Luna looked around the cafeteria. People were starting to take notice of Sam’s presence. “I… I can’t let you get dragged into… _this…”_

Sam looked around as well, then got a stubborn look on her face. _“I don’t care what they say about me.”_

_“I **do.**_ Sam, this is _my_ trouble, and none of _yours_. Please… just spare yourself…”

“Luna, I want to help…”

“You _can’t.”_

“Don’t say that!”

“Sam –”

“Luna, like it or not, I’m here for you. _And I’m not leaving.”_

Luna knew that she was completely serious. That left only one option – and she would soon hate herself for it.

Luna started to cry as she grasped her milk carton. “Sam,” she said, “ _please_ don’t make me do this…”

Sam folded her arms, holding firm.

Luna turned her gaze downwards, away from Sam, as she got up out of her seat. _“Can’t you take a hint…?”_ she growled. _“Get lost.”_

“Luna,” Sam said, “for the last time, _I am not – AH!”_

To her surprise, Luna splashed Sam with the contents of her milk carton.

_“I SAID GET OUT OF HERE, YOU DYKE!”_ Luna screamed.

Sam gaped at Luna, completely and utterly shocked. She got up out of her seat, dripping milk. She gasped in and out rapidly, fighting back tears…

…then turned and ran out of the cafeteria, heartbroken.

The entire cafeteria had gone quiet when they heard Luna shout. Everyone stared at Luna, dumbfounded.

Then, the anger started to swell.

“Luna, what the _hell?”_

“She was just trying to help!”

“Luna, _you suck…”_

_“Bitch!”_

_“Kill yourself!”_

All of the students exploded at Luna – just as she had planned. She picked up her backpack, and turned around, heading towards the other exit.

The students hurled foodstuffs and obscenities at her the entire way.

It was at this moment that Leni and Lori arrived at the scene. Sam ran past them, sobbing, and as Leni wondered what that was all about, she saw Luna at the far end of the cafeteria, leaving.

“Luna, _wait!”_ Leni called.

The other students turned to the two of them. “Oh, it’s _them…!”_ someone said.

The students redirected their anger onto Leni and Lori, yelling abusive, profane language and making obscene gestures at them. Leni took it all, dragging Lori through the sea of hatred…

They managed to come out the other end, seeing Luna sitting on a bench in the hallway picking food out of her hair and off of her clothes.

_“Luna!”_

Luna didn’t even acknowledge their presence.

Leni brought Lori over and sat her down, while then sat between her and Luna.

“Luna,” Leni said, “what happened back there?”

Luna told her.

_“What?!_ Luna, how could you do that?!”

Luna shook her head sadly. “I can’t let Sam become a part of this, Leni. I can’t… let her become like _us…”_

“That was _her_ choice, Luna. You had _no right_ to make it for her!”

Luna shrugged, slumping even further. “Well… it’s been made, now…”

Leni slammed her fists into her lap. “Guys, this is _too much!_ We _can’t_ keep driving away everyone who wants to help us!”

“We already _have_ driven everyone away, Leni!” Luna snapped.

“Th… Then…” Leni took Lori’s and Luna’s hands into her own. “Then we’ve gotta stick together! Stop fighting!”

Luna turned her head away. _“Hmph.”_

“You guys…” Leni looked pleadingly at the sisters on each side of her. “Everyone hates us now. _All we have left is each other…”_

Lori stopped staring into space, and looked at Leni’s hand intertwined with her own. So Leni was on her side, it seemed.

Lori resumed staring at nothing. It wasn’t enough.

It just… _wasn’t enough…_


	10. A Loud House Divided

“W-What do you mean, his face is all cut up?!”

All Clyde had wanted to do was allay his friends’ worries about Lincoln, but Rusty being who he was, it wasn’t long before everyone in school had heard about Clyde talking to Lincoln in person. Clyde had managed to finish lunch without too many people pestering him, but now, in the hallway, the forming crowd cornered him. Clyde’s other friends – Rusty, Zach, and Liam – formed a defensive perimeter around him, separating him from the crowd, but there was still no way through them all. Even worse, Clyde’s friends seemed to have joined them, as they were now facing him. So, he decided to tell them everything, if only to get them to back off.

“Y-Yeah, well, um…” Clyde rubbed the back of his head, looking away. Recalling the memory was still rather difficult for him. “It’s… It was just, like… these _gashes_ , you know? Like, _huge_ cuts across his face. I mean, they were sewn up neatly and all, but the stitches were just…” He shuddered. “It was gross…”

“Oh my gosh!” a girl with brown hair and a heart-shaped clip in it said. “I didn’t know his sisters did _that_ to him!”

Clyde waved his hands back and forth, shaking his head. “No, no, I don’t think his sisters did that to him. The cuts looked too recent to have happened… _then_ , and his sisters didn’t come home until last Friday, so…”

“Then… what happened?” the girl asked.

“I…” Clyde rubbed his hands nervously. “I think… he might’ve done it to himself…”

The crowd was aghast. Several students exclaimed in shock, and began clamoring for more information. Clyde was only barely able to get them to settle down.

“Why would he do something like that?!” someone from the back called out loudly and clearly. Everyone looked at Clyde for the answer.

“Beats me,” he said. The others were not satisfied with this, but before they could voice their frustrations, Clyde held his hands up, signaling that he was not done. “I-I just don’t know, alright? Lincoln’s… This is the first time I’ve seen him in over a month, and he’s… he’s…” He hung his head, sighing. “…He’s unstable. Just really, _really_ messed up.”

The crowd was moved to sympathy. Some students shook their heads sadly; others started to cry. Zach nodded in understanding.

“Yeah, I’d imagined he would be, after something like _that…”_ he said.

“Uh-huh. It was like… there was this constant air of _fear_ around him, you know? Like… a sense of _insecurity_. He couldn’t really relax, even with me there with him… must’ve been his sisters in the house…”

Liam sighed. “’Tarn it. Ah wish there were somethin’ we could do for him…”

“Well, my next appointment with Dr. Lopez is a week from now, and I’ll have to see if I can’t find any help for him then – _professional_ help, I mean. But as for right now, all we can do for Lincoln is pray for him.”

_“Oooh…”_ Girl Jordan growled. “I still can’t believe his sisters didn’t go to jail for what they did! I mean, they did it in front of _a crowd of people_ , and they _still_ got away with it?!” She started shadow-boxing. “Those Loud girls better watch their backs, because when I see ‘em, they’re gonna wish they’d _never –”_

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, hey, _hey! Girl Jordan! HEY!”_ Clyde shouted, interrupting her rant. Everyone turned their attention back to him. Clyde shrank back a little – he still wasn’t used to all the attention. “U-Um… _ahem..._ I-I get that you’re angry, but please… _please_ don’t blame Lincoln’s sisters, all right? Look, I followed that case, okay? The case with Lincoln, and Lori, and all his other sisters? It wasn’t _them_ – it was a pheromone that makes girls attracted to boys. Drove them crazy.”

“Aw, _come on!”_ someone in the crowd said. “A ‘pheromone’? _Really?”_

Many others in the crowd agreed with him, finding the concept of a pheromone that makes girls attracted to boys frankly ridiculous. Clyde shook his head angrily.

_“Look,_ either believe it, or don’t. But just accept that whatever made them do what they did just wasn’t natural, okay? I _know_ Lincoln’s sisters. I _know_ they’d never be capable of doing something like _that_ under normal circumstances.” His gaze swept over the entire crowd. _“And you should, too.”_

The crowd simmered down, slightly ashamed. No-one could think of anything to counter that with. Clyde huffed, feeling that he had made his point, but the crowd still didn’t disperse.

Then, a voice rang out in the quiet hallway.

“Hey, so, do you think Larry could hook me up with some of that pheromone?”

Everyone in the crowd turned their heads to find the source of the voice. The crowd parted enough for Clyde to see that the source of the voice was Chandler, leaning against a locker and flanked by his two cronies.

“What?” Clyde said.

“A pheromone that makes girls attracted to boys? Sounds useful…” Chandler smirked. “Think you could talk Larry into giving me some?”

Clyde put his hands on his hips, glowering at Chandler. “First, Chandler, his name is _Lincoln_ , and you know it. Second, he doesn’t have access to the stuff – and even if he _did_ , he wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.”

_“Tch!”_ Chandler shrugged. “You know, all I ever hear is _‘poor Lincoln, poor Lincoln’…_ Well, I say, what has he got to complain about? He’s got a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me! I mean, if _I_ had ten hot sisters who had the –”

One of Chandler’s friends waved his arms back and forth, cutting him off. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa – _ten_ hot sisters? Dude, five of them are younger than we are. One of them is a _baby!”_

Chandler rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “You know what I mean. If _I_ had hot sisters who had the hots for me, then I wouldn’t be sitting in my room moping about it! I’d let them jump my bones anytime! My own private harem… who _wouldn’t_ want that –”

Unable to contain himself any longer, Clyde rushed through the opening in the crowd faster than the eye could see and shoved his forearm against Chandler’s throat, pinning him to the wall. “Well you _don’t_ have any sisters, Chandler, so you have _no_ idea how to react to something like this, _do you?!_ And don’t pretend that what happened to Lincoln isn’t such a big deal, either! Do I need to spell it out for you? He was _raped_ , okay?! _Raped!_ _There, I said it!_ How would _you_ like to be raped by someone like your _mother_ , or your _father?_ Someone you _know_ and _love_ – someone you thought you could _trust?_ _Huh? ANSWER ME!”_

Chandler grabbed Clyde’s arm, silently begging him to ease off. _“Ack…_ They… They would never… do something like _that_ to me…”

“Yeah, that’s what Lincoln thought about his sisters, too – _so don’t judge him like that._ ” Clyde released Chandler, who doubled over, gasping for breath. “Now, was there anything _else_ you wanted to add, Chandler, or are you done being an _insensitive jerk?”_

As Chandler caught his breath, he looked up at Clyde, fear in his eyes. He didn’t respond.

“That’s what I thought.” Clyde turned and walked away. Behind him, Chandler turned to glare at his friends for their lack of support, but they shrugged helplessly – there wasn’t much support they could give.

Clyde walked past the awed crowd. He could feel the tears coming on.

“Clyde…” Girl Jordan said as he walked past, “…that was _so cool –”_

But Clyde held up his hand, and shook his head. “Please…” he said, “I… I don’t want to hear it…”

He started walking again, and the crowd started to disperse. Clyde walked faster. He couldn’t let them see him cry…

(…)

Word about the abortions got out at the end of lunch. Leni and Luna hardly noticed the differences in the stares and the whispers that they received throughout the rest of their classes, but Lori saw them, heard them. She knew what they were all about. She didn’t tell the other girls, though.

It wasn’t as if it changed much.

By the end of the school day, the news had spread all throughout Royal Woods High. When the bell rang, the Loud girls reassembled in front of the school as the students began to pile onto the buses. Each of them looked weary, beaten-down – a few years older, even. Leni looked especially sad, and Lori…

Lori looked _empty._

Finally free of having to push her body to take her where she needed to go, she allowed Leni to take her by the arm and guide her to the bus, while Luna walked ahead, not once looking back.

There was nothing else for them to do except go home. Of course, no-one on the bus was willing to share seats with any of them, so the Loud sisters were exiled to the back of the bus. To their dismay, their shared isolation was already starting to feel familiar…

The ride back to the Loud house was an ordeal. Unexpectedly, the mood on the bus became light as the bus rolled out onto the streets – _very_ light, in fact. Everyone was happily chatting to each other (or more usually, on their phones), texting, and otherwise acting as if everything was fine. But that is precisely what made the ride so painful – everyone was _acting_ fine. The earlier glares, jeers, murmurs, and sneers were by no means pleasant, but at least by doing so, the other students acknowledged their presence. Now, however, it had reached a point the other students simply did not want the Loud sisters to _exist_.

And so, they acted as though they did not.

When the bus pulled up to 1216 Franklin Avenue, the girls got off as quickly as they could. The bus drove off, and they trudged across the lawn to the front door. The day that they had just gone through at school was akin to torture, but they wondered if their home life would be much better…

Luna opened the door, and the three entered to see Mrs. Loud standing in the living room, with Luan and Lynn sitting on the sofa. Lynn sat with her arms folded, fuming.

“O-Oh! Girls! You’re… you’re home…” Mrs. Loud said. “H-How was your day?”

Luna showed her mother her shirt, still stained from the foodstuffs she had been pelted with earlier that day. “What do _you_ think?”

“Guys? What are you doing home so early?” Leni asked Luan and Lynn.

“Oh! W-Well, um…” Mrs. Loud fidgeted nervously. “Luna, honey, your shirt! How did that happen?”

She was dodging the question; even Leni could tell. “Mom…” she said insistently.

Mrs. Loud didn’t look Leni in the eyes. “I… I came to pick them up.”

She may have left out the other half, but that was still half of the truth. Truth be told, Mrs. Loud was actually a little bit grateful that her two middle-school age daughters had called her, wishing to be picked up early. Mr. Feinstein, her boss, was completely understanding of the situation with her family, but she still didn’t want to be in that office anymore. A few of the patients recognized her – not many, but enough to matter. It didn’t matter that they were polite enough to not say anything – they said everything they needed to with their eyes, with the way they _looked_ at her.

And she hated the things they said.

Leni was beginning to grow impatient with her mother. _“Why?”_

Seeing that Mrs. Loud was unwilling to answer, Luan answered for her.

“Lynn got suspended.”

Luna and Leni started. _“What?!”_

Mrs. Loud stopped forcing a smile and held her gaze away, nodding.

“Dude! What _happened?!”_ Luna asked.

“U-Um… Well…” Mrs. Loud turned to Lynn. “Lynn, sweetie, do you… feel like talking about it _now?”_

Lynn didn’t say a word. She just kept on scowling.

“O-Oh… Okay, then… Um, Luan? Do you mind… again…?”

Luan nodded. “Sure, Mom.” She leaned forward in her seat. “It happened during lunch. Lynn and I were sitting together, eating. Lynn was already in a pretty bad mood because she’d gotten kicked off the team for… _you know…”_

Luna and Leni quickly nodded. _“Uh-huh.”_

“Yeah. Anyways, this guy comes up, I don’t even know who –”

“Danny Rosato,” Lynn said. “I shot him down for a date _once,_ and he never forgave me for it. Stupid jerk…”

“Uh… _right._ So, anyways, this guy, Danny, comes up and starts harassing Lynn, saying stuff like, ‘Oh, you know, I get it now. I get why you didn’t want to date me. I mean, why should you go out looking for a guy when you’ve got one right at home?’ You know, stuff like that.”

Lynn bit her lip as she recollected his taunts. Luna blinked.

“Wow. That guy _does_ sound like a jerk.”

“Uh-huh. So, Lynn got even madder, she told him to shut up, he wouldn’t shut up, so she stood up, and she called him a…” Luan hesitated. “A, uh…”

“A _motherfucker.”_

Mrs. Loud gasped. _“Lynn!”_

“Yeah, I _know_ it’s a bad word, all right? _I just don’t fucking care anymore!”_ Lynn shouted. She stood up. “And then… oh, that smug _bastard_ … And then, you know what he did? He just smiled and said, ‘I may be a motherfucker, Lynn…’” She pointed her finger forwards.

“‘…but _you_ are a _brotherfucker.’”_

Luan shook her head. “And that’s when Lynn went berserk.”

Lynn folded her arms, smiling proudly. “I broke his nose, a bunch of his teeth, gouged an eyeball, and even bit off a bit of his ear.” She turned her angry gaze to Luan. “And I would have done worse if _you_ and two other chumps hadn’t dragged me off of him!”

“Lynn, I genuinely thought that you were trying to _kill_ him!”

“I _was!”_

“Lynn, _listen to yourself…!”_

Before the two of them could get into a fight, Mrs. Loud took action. “Girls…! _Girls!”_ she shouted. She turned to her sporty daughter. “Look, Lynn, I get it. I know that boy was being rude to you, all right? But… But _that_ was not the right way to go about dealing with him, okay?”

_“He_ started it, Mom!” Lynn shouted.

“It doesn’t matter if he started it. _You_ shouldn’t have continued it.”

_“Rrrrgh…!”_ Lynn clenched her fists and her jaw, grinding her teeth.

“Oh…” Mrs. Loud saw Mr. Loud coming down the stairs, and tried to change the subject. “Honey! H-How’s Lola?”

Mr. Loud shook his head. “Still inconsolable.”

“Lola? What happened with Lola?” Leni asked.

Mr. Loud sighed. “She just found out that she’s been banned from every child pageant in Royal Woods – heck, every child pageant in _Michigan._   Which means she won’t be able to compete in the state or national championships…”

Leni stared at her father incredulously. Before all of this started, Lola had been bragging about how she only needed one more local pageant win before she could qualify for the state pageant – and from there, the national pageant. Now, however, those ambitions were dashed.

“Oh, gosh…” was all Leni could manage to say.

“W… Well…” Mrs. Loud forced a smile again. “It’s okay, girls! Really! D-Don’t worry! Everything is going to be alright!”

Lori gave a mirthless chuckle at that. Everyone turned to her – it was the first time she’d spoken since she arrived home. “ _‘Everything is going to be alright’…_ You haven’t heard the worst yet…”

Mrs. Loud’s smile faltered. “The… The _worst…?”_

Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn all dreaded what Lori was about to say, but still leaned in intently. Lori stared ahead with dead eyes.

“They know.”

“Know… _what?”_ Luan asked.

“They know… about the abortions…”

Luan and Lynn bolted out of their seats, and Mrs. Loud gave a strangled cry. Mr. Loud, Luna, and Leni were just as horrified.

_“W-What?!_ Wait, w-who’s _they?!”_ Luna demanded.

Lori shrugged. “Everyone.”

“How… How did they know?” Leni asked.

“That guy outside the abortion clinic… He spread the word…” Lori looked at her mother, smiling sadly. “You were right, Mom – word _always_ finds a way of getting out…”

_“You’re lying!”_ Lynn shouted.

Lori shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

Lynn sank back into her seat, unblinking. Lori had no reason to simply make something like that up, and the more everyone thought about it, the more plausible it sounded…

“Y… You’re _lying…”_

_“No, I’m not.”_

Mrs. Loud was speechless. All that effort to persuade her daughters into going through with the abortions, all the effort gone into keeping it a secret – it had all been for _nothing._ She couldn’t bear it anymore – her lips started quivering, her eyes started watering, and she gasped desperately. Finally, she covered her face with her hands, and ran into the kitchen and out the back door, sobbing.

“Rita!” Mr. Loud called. He came down the rest of the stairs and followed her, calling out “Girls, I-I’ll be right back!” as he went.

For what seemed like ages, the Loud sisters stood or sat where they were, utterly dumbstruck. No matter how bad things were for them, they always managed to get worse. The sheer cruelty of fate left them at a complete loss. All they had ever wanted was to forget about what had happened and let things go back to normal, but the more the situation developed, the further and further that possibility became.

After a while, Luan – wacky, entertaining Luan – spoke up, startling her other sisters into awareness. “That… That’s it. It’s _over…_ ”

Leni, for her part, refused to give up hope. “No – it is _not_ over! Come on, guys! We _can’t_ give up! We have to… We have to keep trying to make this right – _together!”_

The others stared at her, wholly unconvinced. “How…? _Why…?”_ Lori said.

“Be… Because…” Leni shook her head desperately. “Because we just _have to_ , okay?! We _have to!”_ She grabbed Lori and Luna’s wrists. “Come on, you guys, we… W-We have to go cheer up Lola!”

Leni dragged her two sisters upstairs, and the other two on the couch reluctantly followed them. Lana was sitting in the hallway outside the room she shared with her twin.

“Lana…?” Leni said.

Lana looked up at her elder sister with a glazed expression. “Hey, guys,” she said.

“H-How’s Lola?”

“What do _you_ think?”

Lana jerked her thumb towards her and Lola’s room. Inside, Lola could be heard sobbing loudly. Leni understood her pain. Pageantry was Lola’s life – and now, she was forbidden to take part in it.

“Oh, poor thing…” Leni reached for the doorknob. _“Lola?”_

“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” Lana warned. “Now’s about the time when she shifts from ‘sad’ back to ‘angry’.”

Leni ignored her, and grasped the doorknob. “Lola, we’re coming in!”

She opened the door, and saw Lola lying on her bed, devastated. Her stuffed animals were scattered all around the room.

“Oh, Lola…” Leni looked at her other sisters, who looked back at her expectantly. This was _her_ idea – _she_ had to go through with it. Lana, for her part, shook her head disapprovingly. Leni took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

“Lola –”

Lola pushed herself up and grabbed another stuffed animal, raising it threateningly. _“Don’t come any closer,”_ she snarled.

She didn’t expect the toy to do much damage if thrown, but Leni still raised her hands in front of her. “Lola, it’s _okay,”_ she said gently. “We understand why you’re so upset. And… we want to help.”

Shaking, Lola turned away from the others and threw the stuffed animal at the wall, and started pounding her fists on her bed. “It’s not _fair…!_ My dream… The thing I love doing the most… I’ll never be able to do it again… _It’s not fair!”_

Leni sat on the bed next to Lola, and started stroking her beautiful blonde hair. “I _know_ , Lola. I _know_ it isn’t. But it’s not the end of the world…”

Lola swatted Leni’s hand away. “Oh, _no?_ What if _you_ weren’t allowed to make any dresses ever again? What if _Luna_ wasn’t allowed to play or listen to music ever again? What if _Lynn_ wasn’t allowed to play sports ever again?!”

“I’m _not,”_ Lynn said, stepping up. “I got kicked off the team – did you know that? No, of course you didn’t, because you don’t care about _my_ , or _anyone’s_ problems except your own.”

Lana ran up in front of Lynn. _“Whoa,_ Lynn, take it easy –”

But Lynn was in no mood to “take it easy”. Shoving Lana aside, she spat, “You selfish little _brat._ Don’t act like _you’re_ the only one suffering here. We’re _all_ paying the price for what we did – what makes _you_ so special?”

Infuriated, Lola hopped off the bed and stared Lynn down – despite her short stature, she still managed to be intimidating. _“HEY! That wasn’t my fault!”_

“G-Guys,” Leni said, “it’s not _anyone’s_ fault –”

“Really?! _Really?!”_ Lynn shouted. “Who’s the one who laughed the loudest that night? Who’s the one who asked Lincoln if he needed to be potty trained again? _Who’s the one that left one of Lily’s diapers on his bed?!”_

_“You were laughing too, Lynn!_ _We ALL were!_ But that doesn’t mean _anything!_ We always tease him like that! If _Lincoln_ hadn’t –”

Lola stopped short. She had just happened upon an idea – an idea of who was _really_ responsible for this disaster.

“If… If Lincoln… hadn’t made… that _stupid wish…!”_

Growling furiously, Lola shoved past Lynn and the others and came out into the hallway. She stood outside Lincoln’s door.

_“LINCOLN!!!”_ she screamed.

Lincoln jumped, scrambling off the bed. Lola – what did _she_ want? She was angry – that wasn’t good. He braced himself against the door.

_“LINCOLN, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!”_

That caught Lincoln off-guard. His fault? “This”? This whole situation, did she mean? What was this about? Was this another trick? Lincoln tried to figure it out by playing along, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was _him_ who didn’t have a thick enough skin to stay in the house; _him_ who chose to go to the park that night; _him_ who got himself exposed to that pheromone; _him_ who was foolish enough to believe in wishes as to come back the next day and end up getting a full-body dosage of that same pheromone…!

Lincoln sank to the floor. Maybe she was right. Maybe this _was_ all his fault… But then, why was she accusing him of this? What were her intentions?

The other Loud sisters were drawn into the hallway by Lola’s screaming.

_“Hey!_ Leave him alone!” Luan shouted.

Lola didn’t listen. _“COME OUT HERE!”_

Lincoln perked up. _That_ again? The same plan as before… Perhaps she intended to make him feel so guilty, that he would feel he’d have to come out and deliver an apology in person? Whatever her motives were, they certainly couldn’t be benign this time. He kept his back to the door.

_“COME OUT HERE **RIGHT NOW!!!”**_

“N… No…” Lincoln started to curl up. _“No… Nononononononononono…”_

“U-Um… Uh…” Leni stammered. The situation was quickly spiraling out of control. If she didn’t do something… “L-Lola? W-We know you’re upset, but…”

But it was too late. Lola was well past upset – she was _furious._ Furious with Lincoln for his perceived part in all of this; furious with the whole situation for being so unfair; furious with life for treating her, _her,_ so poorly; furious with it all. There was no more reason in her mind – only rage. She lifted up her high-heeled foot…

…and started kicking the door.

Lincoln screamed in terror, throwing his entire weight against the door. This was it; it was happening; his worst fears were being realized! They were coming for him! They had lost all patience, and now they were _coming for him!_

Lana rushed forward and grabbed Lola’s wrist. _“What are you DOING?!”_ she cried, trying to drag her away.

Lola turned to her twin, her face twisted into a frightening snarl. _“GET OFF ME!”_

With one swift motion, Lola’s carefully manicured fingernails dug into Lana’s cheek and tore deep claw marks through the flesh. Lana released Lola and cupped her face, reeling with shock and pain.

The sight of this act of unwarranted violence pushed Lynn over the edge. “Why, you _stupid FUCKING –!”_ She leapt forward, grabbed Lola’s head, and started slamming it into the door, face-first, repeatedly.

Luan still had enough sense to be shocked by this brutality. She grabbed Lynn’s hands and pried them off of Lola. “Lynn, _stop!_ That’s _enough – OOF!”_

Blind with fury, Lynn spun around, twisting out of Luan’s grip, and punched her hard in the chest. As Luan stumbled backwards, gasping for breath, Lynn turned her attention back to Lola – but before she could start ramming her face into the door again, Luna and Lucy each grabbed one of her arms, dragging her backwards. Kicking and howling, Lynn headbutted Lucy and bit Luna’s hand, forcing them to let go. She turned on the three of them – Luna, Luan, and Lucy – and they had no choice but to fight back. Lynn was a fearsome opponent, but it was three-on-one, and slowly but surely, she started losing the advantage.

Lana, meanwhile, had begun brawling with Lola, enraged by her clawed face. Luan managed to land a fierce kick on Lynn’s stomach, and she doubled over and fell. Luna, Luan, and Lucy immediately surrounded her, saw her writhing on the floor in pain… and found it cathartic. One moment was all it took for three of them to stop caring; for them to let loose, and start pounding and stomping on Lynn. Overwhelmed, the only thing Lynn could do was desperately curl up into a defensive ball.

The two eldest Loud sisters could only sit and watch all the chaos being unleashed. Lori stared at the scene vacantly, feeling helpless to do anything to stop it. Leni rocked back and forth and bawled, fruitlessly begging everyone to just _stop fighting._

And Lincoln stood with his heels dug in, pressing against the door with all his strength, crying and screaming for his father to come save him. The only thing separating him from the whirlwind of chaos outside was that one flimsy, wooden door – and it would only hold against the lot of them for so long…

(…)

“I… I just don’t know, Rita…”

Mr. and Mrs. Loud stood in the backyard. Mrs. Loud had finally calmed down, and now husband and wife were having a serious conversation about their family.

“Lynn, _please,”_ Mrs. Loud said, “think about what this means for them! A fresh start for the girls; a chance for Lincoln to recover! They won’t have _either_ of those things if things stay the way they are!” She looked at her husband pleadingly. _“Please_ , honey, I’m telling you, this plan would be best for _everyone…”_

Mr. Loud sighed. “Everyone… but _us…”_

“W- _What?_ What do you mean?”

“Rita, I don’t want to leave you any more than I want to leave the girls. Do you really think our marriage could survive this?”

Mrs. Loud put a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Lynn, I love you. _Nothing_ will ever change that. And it’s not as if we’ll never see each other again! We’ve got phones, video chat… We’ll keep in touch, Lynn, I promise!” She made Mr. Loud look at her. “We can make this work, honey. _Trust me.”_

Mr. Loud blinked, fighting to retain his composure. He folded his arms, and cast his eyes downwards again. “I… I just wanted to help them.”

“You _are._ _This_ is how you’re helping them.”

Mr. Loud was silent for a long time. Then, he said, “Well… We should at least ask them for their opinions on it. I mean, it’s only fair…”

Mrs. Loud shook her head, disappointed in his continued resistance. “I can’t imagine they’ll be too enthused with it…”

_“It’s only fair,_ honey.” Mr. Loud turned towards the house, beckoning her. “Come on.”

Mr. and Mrs. Loud headed back inside the house – and as soon as they entered the kitchen, they heard thumping and shouting upstairs.

“Wha –? What’s going on up there?” Mr. Loud said.

The parents exchanged worried looks, then rushed through the kitchen and dining room and up the stairs…

…and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw their daughters engaged in an all-out brawl, while Lincoln screamed and begged for help.

_“Wha –?! What the –?! What is going – HEY!”_ Mr. Loud yelled, trying and failing to get the girls’ attention.

Leni turned to her parents, desperation in her eyes. _“Mom… Dad… DO SOMETHING!”_ she wailed.

Mr. Loud gritted his teeth. Steeling his resolve, he bellowed, _“All right, that is ENOUGH!”_

But the girls didn’t listen to him, so engrossed in fighting each other were they. Mr. Loud was floored by this – the girls had never, _ever,_ defied him before. Growing even angrier, he marched up to Luna, Luan, and Lucy, still pummeling Lynn.

_“Did you hear me?! I said, that is ENOUGH – WHOA?!”_

Mr. Loud had grossly misjudged his daughters’ state of mind. All of the anger and frustration towards their entire situation that they had bottled up was now surging out all at once – and there was no stopping it. Luan batted her father’s hand away from her shoulder and shoved him hard, making him stumble backwards and bang his head against the wall.

Mr. Loud slid down to the floor, utterly stymied. Now they were _physically assaulting_ him? He pounded his fist on the floor. Enough was _enough_ – he stood up, and took off his belt.

For the first time in his children’s lives… he was going to enforce his authority the hard way.

The whole ordeal might have lasted three minutes, or it might have lasted thirteen. It certainly felt longer than it probably was. But it ended, and when it did, the Loud sisters sat or lay panting on the floor bruised, bloodied, and spent. Gasping and heaving, the girls started aching as their adrenaline high began to wear off, and they began to more acutely feel their injuries. Groaning, they noticed a presence, looked up in a daze…

…and saw their father, beaten and scratched, belt in hand, looming over them.

And as they saw the look in his eyes, they knew that they were in big, _big_ trouble.

The girls froze. None of them wanted to say a word, even though they felt as though they had to. They turned their eyes to Luna.

Luna gulped. “U-Um… Dad –”

_“Downstairs. Now.”_

Mr. Loud didn’t have to raise his voice – his tone made it perfectly clear that he _was_ going to be obeyed. And the girls did obey, quickly pushing themselves up and marching down the stairs. Some of them were holding their arms, wrists or sides, and others were limping. Mr. Loud knocked gingerly on his son’s door.

“It’s okay, Lincoln, it’s okay… They’re gone now,” he said.

Lincoln continued to choke out sobs.

“Don’t you worry, son, I’m going to make everything all right. You’ll see.”

The girls came into the living room and sank down onto the sofa – Lola and Lana as far away from each other as possible, and Lynn sitting well away from Luna, Luan, and Lucy. They heard their father’s heavy footsteps slowly coming down the stairs, flinching with every step. Mr. Loud reached the bottom first, followed closely by Mrs. Loud. Before Mr. Loud could devote his full attention to the girls, Mrs. Loud placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.

Turning to look at his wife, Mr. Loud closed his eyes, sighing. Then, he turned to the girls. “I’m going to have a word with your mother,” he said. _“I don’t want to hear anything from you girls until we get back.”_

The girls all fearfully nodded, and Mr. and Mrs. Loud went into the kitchen. From the living room, the sisters could hear their parents talking heatedly; not quite arguing, but not having a friendly conversation, either. Mr. Loud was understandably still angry; Mrs. Loud sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Lana leaned over to look at Lola.

_“Nice going, princess,”_ she whispered. _“Now they’re fighting because of YOU.”_

_“I told you, this is NOT… MY… FAULT…!”_ Lola growled.

_“You’re still gonna stick to that?”_

_“Dudes, shut. Up,”_ Luna whispered.

_“Hey, if it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be in this mess –”_

_“HEY!”_ Mr. Loud yelled from the kitchen. Luna, Lola, and Lana all straightened up, looked forwards, and shut their mouths.

After a few more minutes of talking, sobbing, and consoling, Mr. and Mrs. Loud came back into the living room. Leni was so afraid that she started crying.

Mr. Loud stood on facing the girls across the coffee table, while Mrs. Loud stood to the side. His piercing glare shook every sister to the core.

Although she was terrified, Luna spoke up again. “D-D-D-Dad, we’re s-s-so –”

_“I_ am going to talk, and _you_ are going to listen,” Mr. Loud said. Lips quivering, Luna quieted down. Mr. Loud took a deep breath. “Now, I’m don’t know what all that upstairs was about, but I think I can guess. And I’m don’t know who started it, but _I don’t care._ All I know is, this behavior is _unacceptable._ I can’t have you girls behaving like barbarians – _especially_ not around Lincoln.”

The girls shut their eyes tight and cringed, dreading the oncoming punishment. They’d already had a taste of their father’s belt’s sting upstairs – they didn’t want to imagine tasting it again…

“Now, the last time Clyde was here, he gave your mother and I some advice on what we should do with you all…”

The sisters opened their eyes again, looking at their father in confusion. Clyde? What did _he_ have to do with any of this?

“I had my reservations, but now, after everything that’s happened, there’s no more doubt in my mind. This _has_ to be done – for everyone’s sakes.”

Even though Leni knew she wasn’t supposed to talk, she couldn’t imagine what harm what she had to say could have. “W… _What…_ Dad…?”

Mr. Loud took one last look at his wife, who nodded encouragingly. He closed his eyes, took one last deep breath, and said definitively:

“Girls, pack your things. _You’re moving out.”_

The order rolled over the Loud girls like a tidal wave. The girls, beside themselves with shock, immediately began to protest. Mr. Loud slapped the table with his belt, silencing them.

“You’re moving. _That’s final.”_ Seeing how devastated this made them, Mr. Loud shook his head and decided to explain. “Look, girls, I’m not going to sugarcoat this: Lincoln is _terrified_ of you. With you girls in the house, he won’t even leave his room! And he’s mentally unstable – _really_ mentally unstable. He probably isn’t getting any _worse_ cooped up in here, but he definitely isn’t getting any _better,_ either; he needs professional help, _soon._ But again, as long as you girls are here, he’ll never leave his room, much less the _house_. So, tomorrow at the earliest, you and your mother are moving away.”

“B… But… where will we _go?”_ Leni asked.

“Your mother and I have that all figured out. You’ll be staying at your Great-Aunt Ruth’s until your mother can find a proper home for you all. We still have plenty of money left over from the trial, so she’ll definitely be able to find a place for you out of state… _or out of country,”_ he added under his breath. Seeing his daughters start to break down in tears, he said, “Look, girls, this isn’t _all_ for Lincoln’s benefit. We know that each of you is a victim, just like he is. But as long as you’re here, in a… what did Clyde call it? A ‘hostile environment’…? As long as you’re in this ‘hostile environment’, you’ll never be able to move on from the incident. And all these… _frustrations…_ that you’re having here, they’re not going to stop. They’ll just keep mounting and mounting until you explode, like you did just now. In a new place, you’ll have clean slates. You’ll be able to move on, live normal lives without anyone judging you…”

The Loud girls definitely liked the sound of that, but they still didn’t want to leave. They needed to make amends with Lincoln; they needed him to know that they were really, truly sorry, and that they loved him.

“C-Can’t _any_ of us stay?” Lynn asked.

“Well… Lily’s staying here.”

“Lily? Why is _Lily_ staying?” Luan asked.

“Because she’s the only one who wasn’t a part of the incident; because she’s the only one that Lincoln still trusts. Clyde said that she might be able to help him along with his recovery, and I think he’s right. Actually, that goes for the pets, too. Not _your_ pets, Lana, they can go with you – I mean Charles, Cliff, Walt, and Geo. They’re staying – the rest of you have to go.”

“B-But –” Leni stammered.

_“No ‘but’s.”_ The girls started breaking down, so Mr. Loud attempted to comfort them. “Look, girls, this is only temporary. After Lincoln has recovered, you and your mother can come back home.”

Lola sniffled. “H-How long… How long will _that_ take?”

Mr. Loud shrugged. “I can’t lie to you… it might be months. _Years_ , even. Not anytime soon, I can promise you _that_ much…” he said grimly.

The other Loud sisters all looked at Lucy. They remembered what she had said the night they came home…

Luna wiped away her tears and gulped. “P-P- _Please,_ Dad, we’re _sorry!_ We’re so sorry! We promise we’ll never fight again – just _please_ give us another chance…!”

Mr. Loud wasn’t moved. “Your mother and I _gave_ you another chance, girls, after that little incident yesterday. And guess what? You _blew it._ We’re not going to sit back and let you girls tear each other apart anymore.”

“But… _But…!”_

“Girls, you are moving. _That. Is. That.”_

The girls looked at each other despairingly. It was hopeless – nothing they would ever say or do would change their father’s mind. The girls couldn’t take it anymore – they started sobbing uncontrollably, completely and utterly defeated. Mr. Loud looked at his daughters sadly, pitying them.

“Girls… this is for the best. You’ll see.” He looked at Mrs. Loud. “Sweetie… get the first-aid kit.”


	11. Forbidden

Bobby Santiago, his mother Maria, and the entire Casagrande family gathered around Ronnie Anne’s door. Half an hour earlier, Bobby had gathered the lot of them in the living room and reluctantly told them what Lori had told him hours earlier. CJ didn’t quite understand what he meant when he said that Ronnie Anne had done “the same thing that Lincoln’s sisters did” to him; he was only told that it was “something very bad”. That made him worried. What could she have done?

Only now had the family members managed to rouse themselves and crowd into the narrow hallway outside Ronnie Anne’s room, ready to confront her. No-one said a word – even CJ could read the atmosphere, and kept quiet. What was there to say in this situation?

Bobby stood at the head of the pack, staring at Ronnie Anne’s door. CJ’s sign was still there – **“Ronnie Anne’s Room – Keep Out.”** And for the past two weeks, Ronnie Anne had fiercely enforced the rule on that sign – on more than just her room. Mrs. Santiago gently nudged her son. Bobby took a deep breath, steeled his resolve, and knocked on the door.

“Niní?” he called. “We need to talk.”

Inside, Ronnie Anne called back, _“Go away.”_

“Ronalda, _please_ , it’s really important…” Mrs. Santiago said.

_“Leave me alone.”_

Seeing everyone talking made CJ feel as though he needed to say something as well. “C’mon, Ronnie Anne, we miss you!”

“Yeah, cuz!” Carlota said. “We’re here to help –”

_“I said GO AWAY!”_

Bobby sighed – this was getting them nowhere. Gulping, he decided to stop beating around the bush, and knocked again.

“Niní… Lori told me what happened with you and Lincoln.”

Everyone held their breath after that, nervously awaiting her response, but no response came. The Santiagos and Casagrandes looked at each other fearfully – her silence was not reassuring. Bobby placed his hand on the door.

“…Is it true?” he asked.

There was no answer.

“Sweetie, please, we promise we won’t be angry,” said Mrs. Santiago. “Just tell us the truth.”

No answer.

Bobby looked at his mother, then turned to the others and shrugged helplessly. The others were dejected as well – they knew that they couldn’t force the issue here.

Sighing, Bobby turned back to the door. “Okay, Niní, okay. We get it – you don’t want to talk about it. If it is true – and I’m not saying it is – but if it _is_ true, then you must feel ashamed. We completely understand that. Just… Just know that whatever the truth is, we still love you. We love you, and we will always be there for you, no matter what. Okay?”

There was still no answer.

Bobby shook his head. He and his family lingered outside the door for a few moments longer, then sadly began to disperse.

Suddenly, they all heard the door being thrown open behind them. Turning back around, they saw Ronnie Anne standing in the doorway on wobbly legs, her eyes glistening.

Bobby couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Ronnie Anne was crying.

_Ronnie Anne_ was crying.

_“Bobby…”_ Ronnie Anne said. She stood there shaking for just a moment, then rushed into her elder brother’s arms.

Bobby held his little sister, gently stroking her hair as she sobbed and choked into his chest. “Oh, Niní,” he moaned, “say it isn’t so…”

Ronnie Anne turned her head sideways to speak. _“I’m sorry… I… I’m so sorry…”_

Bobby stifled his own sobs and was brave for his sister as she broke down. Their aunt Frida and grandmother Rosa were not so strong, however, and started crying along with her. The others suffered in silence, waiting for Ronnie Anne to cry herself out.

It took her a quarter of an hour, but eventually, Ronnie Anne started to calm down. Sniffling and hiccupping, she turned her head upwards to look at Bobby.

“Ronnie Anne…” he said, _“what happened…?”_

Ronnie Anne sniffled and gulped, trying to gain some sense of composure. Wiping away her tears, she clutched Bobby tightly. “I… I just wanted to see him… I wanted to see him _so bad_ , but… But his dad wouldn’t let me, and… I-I just wanted to _see him!_ So… S-So I… I ran away. I… I’m sorry, but… I stole money from Mom’s purse, and I-I bought a train ticket to Royal Woods.”

“Ronalda!” Mrs. Santiago said. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a girl your age to travel alone?!”

“I-I _know,_ Mom! B-But what could I do? Nobody would take me to see him! So… So, I went to see him myself!” She paused. “Uh… I… I came when his dad wasn’t at home. He was so _scared…_ scared of _me…_ I just wanted to help him; to… to be there for him, you know?” She shook her head – her eyes were starting to well up again. “He… H-He tried to tell me… tell me how dangerous it was, but… I didn’t listen…” She buried her face in Bobby’s shirt again. “I-I-I don’t know what came over me…! B-But, t-the next thing I knew, I was outside, i-in his backyard, and-and I didn’t know how I got there, b-but then I looked at his house, and-and-and I _remembered!_ I remembered _everything…!”_ She burst back into tears, and this time, Bobby couldn’t help but join her. He tried to stay brave, though – not sobbing or choking, but letting the tears flow while keeping a straight face…

Although she could barely hold herself together, Ronnie Anne’s tragic tale wasn’t over yet. “…And… And-And-And I tried to see him again, t-to say I was sorry, b-but his dad was there, and-and-and he said… He-He said… ‘I don’t want to see you near my house, or my son, _ever again…!’_ ” Now finished, she allowed herself to completely fall apart in Bobby’s arms. _“I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry…!”_

Mrs. Santiago joined Bobby in hugging Ronnie Anne, and the Casagrandes all followed suit. They all stood there, huddled together in a group hug, for what seemed like ages before Ronnie Anne had the strength to speak up again.

“I never wanted to hurt him…” she said.

“It…” Bobby sniffled. “It’s okay, Niní… it wasn’t your fault. Do you understand? _It wasn’t your fault.”_ He looked around the huddle. “We… We forgive you. Don’t we?”

The others all nodded and voiced their agreement, though some sounded hesitant. It lifted Ronnie Anne’s spirits to hear their support for her, but none of it mattered if she didn’t forgive herself…

Bobby stroked Ronnie Anne’s hair again. “We… We’ll just… keep this between us, okay?”

Ronnie Anne nodded, and nuzzled back into Bobby’s chest. This… was a _start._ She was immensely relieved to have finally gotten the awful truth off of her chest, and knowing that her family forgave her and still supported her was a much-needed encouragement.

But her thoughts returned, as they always did, to _him_. She knew that she would never see him again, and that even if she could, no matter how hard she tried, she would _never_ earn the forgiveness that she craved the most…

His.

_I don’t think I could ever face you again, anyways… Goodbye, Lincoln…_

(…)

The Loud sisters all lined up for the bathroom to await their mother’s care, though Lola was shafted to the end of the line. Lana came first, and she sat on the toilet while her mother applied rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball.

“Alright, sweetie,” Mrs. Loud said, “this might sting a little…”

Lana nodded and closed her eyes, wincing and sucking in air through her teeth as the alcohol stung her cheek. Mrs. Loud gently disinfected all her scratches, then fetched the gauze.

“So, do you want to tell me who started it?” she said as she applied the gauze to Lana’s cheek.

Lana grimaced. _“Lola.”_

“I see.” Without another word, Mrs. Loud continued applying the gauze.

“Aren’t you going to punish her?” Lana asked.

“Honey, I’m with your father on this one. You were _all_ way out of line earlier, so you’re _all_ being punished.” She finished dressing Lana’s cheek. “Alright, you’re all done. Go.”

Lana hopped off the toilet and left, and Lynn came in next. One by one, all the girls (save for Lori and Leni) were treated for their injuries. Shortly after the last sister was treated, Mr. Loud came halfway up the stairs.

“Well, I’ve called Ruth,” he said, “and she said that she can take you girls in tomorrow. She’ll swing by in the morning to pick you up.”

Mrs. Loud nodded. “All right. Well then, girls, start packing. Or… don’t. Just… we want your stuff all packed by tonight.”

“Wha –? _All_ of our stuff?” Leni asked incredulously.

“No, no, just the essentials – enough clean clothes for a week, at least; toothbrushes; things to keep yourselves entertained, that kind of stuff. Once we find a new place to live, your father will have the rest of your stuff moved there.”

“C… Can I bring my pets?” Lana asked. She didn’t care for them like she used to, and in fact she was planning on giving them up, but that didn’t mean she intended to neglect them in the meantime.

“Hmmm…” Mrs. Loud thought about it, then shook her head. “No, sweetie, sorry. Your Great-Aunt Ruth probably won’t want them in her car or in her house with her cats.”

“B-But… what will happen to them? Who will take care of them? Feed them, and…”

“Your father can take care of them in the meantime.” Mrs. Loud turned to her husband. “Can’t you, honey?”

Mr. Loud nodded. “Sure.”

“But… wait! Dad doesn’t know how to take care of all of them properly, you know? I mean, he doesn’t know what temperature cold-blooded reptiles need to be kept at, and… and stuff like that, you know?” Lana twiddled her fingers nervously. “Um… m-maybe I should, you know, _stay_ – at least to teach him how to –”

Mrs. Loud swiped her hand through the air, cutting Lana off. “Oh, _no_ , honey! _Uh-uh!_ All of us are leaving tomorrow morning. _All of us,_ you understand?” She blinked. “Oh, that reminds me…”

Mrs. Loud walked over to Lisa’s door and knocked. “Lisa?”

There was no response. Mrs. Loud listened in, and heard something like a high-voltage machine running. Although perplexed, she knocked again. _“Lisa?_ Lisa, what’s going on in there?”

There was still no response. Mrs. Loud guessed that Lisa couldn’t hear her over the machine running. She tried the doorknob, and found that the door was locked. Already exhausted by the day’s events, she gave up there. “Alright, well, could _someone_ please tell Lisa to start packing her things later?” she asked.

Luna shrugged. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“Thanks. Anyways, girls, be packed by the end of the day, alright?”

“But _Mom…!”_ Lana whined. “Dad doesn’t know how to –”

“Well then, you’d better make him a list on what to do, hadn’t you?” Mrs. Loud huffed. “Girls, we are _all_ leaving tomorrow morning. _End of discussion._ Now, either start packing now, or _don’t_ , or… _ugh…”_

Holding her head and sighing, Mrs. Loud headed down the stairs. Before going after her, Mr. Loud hesitantly added, “Well… you heard her. Get to it.”

(…)

Lucy walked up to her and Lynn’s room, but Lynn got there first and blocked the doorway, turning to glare at Lucy.

_“MY room,”_ Lynn growled.

She then slammed the door in Lucy’s face. Lucy shook her head. Of _course_ Lynn was angry with her – she had been one of the ones pummeling her while she was down. Lucy naturally still seethed at the insult, but between her exhaustion from the fight and her fear of her father’s wrath, she decided to just let it slide.

She knocked on the door. “Well, how am I supposed to pack?” she called.

Her answer came after a few moments, as Lynn opened the door and started carelessly tossing Lucy’s possessions into the hallway before shutting the door again to fetch more.

Lucy balled her hands into fists. “Gee, _thanks,”_ she said through gritted teeth.

(…)

Lana leaned against Lincoln’s door as quietly as she could. Lola had made it to their room first, so there was no way Lana was going in there. The less she saw of Lola, the better. In fact, she would’ve been happy if she never saw Lola again. The _nerve_ of her…! To blame him for the terrible thing that _they_ did to _him_ , and then scare him to death like she did? Lola was a selfish, immature brat, and Lana hated her.

Lana’s own thoughts jolted her, and gave her pause. She… hated Lola? She _hated_ Lola? In all of their fights prior to the incident, Lana had often thought that she hated her sister in the heat of the moment, but those ill-tempered thoughts always passed with her ill temper.

But _now_ … now her ill temper wasn’t going away. Now it lingered, festered. And so did the thoughts.

And the more the thoughts lingered… the more Lana started to believe them.

Lana looked around the hall, and felt the oppressive atmosphere bearing down on her, suffocating her. It was at that moment that she realized how utterly hopeless her and the others’ situation was. The girls needed Lincoln to help them sort out their feelings; but Lincoln wouldn’t leave his room until they left; but if they left, they couldn’t get his help – and they needed his help _now_ ; but Lincoln needed to leave his room to help them – and Lincoln wouldn’t leave his room until they left.

Lana started to hyperventilate. More than anything, she wanted, _needed,_ a hug and some encouraging words to make her feel better. But not just a hug and some encouraging words from _anyone…_

A hug and some encouraging words from her big brother.

Lincoln heard Lana crying on the other side of his door, and pulled his pillow tight around his ears, screaming at himself not to listen to them, that they were his sisters, but not his friends, they were just trying to get inside his head, trying to torment him, don’t listen to them, don’t listen to them, _don’t listen to them, don’t listen to them, DON’T LISTEN TO THEM, DON’T LISTEN TO THEM…!_

(…)

Luna dug the last couple bits of luggage out of all the junk in the garage, and began to wheel them out. Luan stood outside, staring at the side of the house. She didn’t have to come with Luna to grab the last bags, as Luna could handle them herself, but she claimed that she didn’t have anything better to do, so… there she was.

“All right, Luan, I’ve got the bags,” Luna said. “Let’s go.”

Luan didn’t move, or otherwise make any indication that she had heard Luna. She just kept staring at the wall, panting emotionally.

“Luan? What’s…” Luna followed Luan’s gaze. _“…Oh.”_

Luan had been staring at the colored handprints that the siblings had made after undoing their disastrous first attempt at an anniversary gift for their parents. Luna smiled fondly as she recollected the event again – how enthusiastic they had been of the utter mess they had made of the house…!

Luan chuckled, drying her eyes. “You know, it’s funny,” she said. “Everything is so clear in retrospect. You don’t think you’re making a mistake when you’re actually in the moment, but looking back, you realize…” Her eyes began to water up again. “You realize… just what a huge mess you made…”

Luna could see where this was going. She offered Luan a hug, and Luan graciously accepted it, wrapping her arms around her elder sister and resting her chin on her shoulder as the waterworks opened up.

Luna stroked Luan’s hair reassuringly. “There, there, Luan… let it all out…”

Luan sobbed and choked, trying to get her words out. “I-It’s not _fair…!_ This… This is our home! Our _home,_ Luna! You know? And, and now…” She sniffled. “And now we have to leave it, forever…”

Luna patted the back of Luan’s head, looking up at the house. She understood exactly where Luan was coming from. 1216 Franklin Avenue had been the only home the Loud siblings had ever known, and for all of its flaws, the kids had enough fond memories in it for it to be considered a part of the family. “I know, Luan. I don’t like it either. I don’t like it at all. But…” Her expression turned sour as she recalled her day at school. “But would you rather stay _here_ , where everyone hates you?”

Luan didn’t have a good answer for that. So instead, she just clutched Luna’s shirt harder, and sobbed louder. Luna held her younger sister tight, comforting her.

“It’s… It’s just not fair…” Luan said.

“I know, Luan. I know.”

(…)

Time passed. The hours went by. The Loud sisters reluctantly packed their belongings, not speaking a word to each other. No-one could think of anything to say. For that matter, no-one could think of anything to do, either. After packing their belongings, some, like Lori, Lynn, and Lola, confined themselves to their rooms, laying on their beds and staring at the wall or ceiling. The others wandered aimlessly through the house, looking for something, _anything_ , to occupy their time. Watching TV, reading books and magazines, surfing the Internet – _nothing_ could lift their moods. The only thing that they felt could make them happy… was seeing Lincoln again.

And that was out of the question.

Dinnertime came. Perhaps as a consolation for the forced move, Mr. Loud had cooked them spaghetti. It was small consolation, though, and the girls didn’t have much of an appetite between them, anyways. The girls ate a little, but mostly just idly played with their food. Throughout dinner, Mrs. Loud kept looking at Mr. Loud anxiously, but he just kept eating, not making eye contact with anyone.

Finally, Lynn dropped her fork, sighing. “Dad…?”

Mr. Loud flinched at the sound of his daughter’s voice and hastily gulped down his mouthful of food, coughing. _“Ah…_ W-What?”

Lynn looked around the table. “We…” She slumped her shoulders. “We’re sorry, Dad.”

Mr. Loud looked at Lynn, slightly confused. “Huh? For… For the… earlier?”

Lynn nodded.

Mr. Loud looked around the table as well, and saw the same regret in each of his daughters’ faces. He looked uneasy for a few moments, but then took a deep breath and picked up his fork and knife again.

“Well… apology accepted,” he said, and resumed eating his meal.

Lynn sighed again. He hadn’t taken the hint – or maybe he _had_ , and he was just rejecting it. In any case, she still felt like she needed to give it another try. _“Please_ , Dad, we’re really, _really_ sorry. Can’t we have just one more –”

Mr. Loud put his eating utensils back down, his face becoming stern. “For the last time, _no._ You’re leaving. That’s non-negotiable.”

Lynn sank back into her seat, cowed. The other sisters were similarly intimidated. They were on thin ice with their father, and no-one wanted to test it.

Lucy, however, had an idea. “Dad?”

Her father jumped a little. “H-Huh?! Oh… Yes, Lucy?”

“Why can’t you come with us?”

That question surprised Mr. Loud. To him, the answer was obvious – it should have been obvious to the girls, too. “Be… Because _someone_ has to look after Lincoln and Lily, Lucy.” He leaned forwards, tenting his fingers. “Believe me, I _want_ to come with you girls, but… you know I promised to always be there for Lincoln, right?” He shook his head. “I can’t fail him again. I _won’t.”_

“Okay… I understand, Dad.” Lucy poked at her spaghetti. “Well, wherever we go… will you come and visit?”

Mr. Loud looked nervous. “U-Uh, well, y-you know, your… Your mother and I have video chat! We can communicate face-to-face whenever, and if that doesn’t work, then we can always do phone calls! I’ll talk to you girls whenever I get the chance, okay?”

“Okay, Dad, but…” She looked up at him. “…will you ever actually _visit us?”_

Mr. Loud gave a quiet gasp. He shut his eyes, clenching his jaw. Of course, it didn’t matter how far technology had advanced – video chat was just not the same as visiting in person. “I…” He sighed. He hated himself for saying it, but it had to be said. “I’m sorry, but… no. I wish I could, but… you just have to understand, I… I-I just can’t leave Lincoln in someone else’s care. Not _again.”_

Lucy looked back to her plate. “I understand.” She resumed poking at her meal. Figuring the conversation was over, he picked up his fork again, but had barely lifted it up off the table when Lucy’s next words made him freeze:

_“…We’re really gonna miss you, Dad.”_

Mr. Loud dropped the fork, his grip suddenly weak. His teeth started chattering, and his breath shortened to quick, shallow gasps. Mr. Loud shut his eyes tight – he could feel the wave coming, and he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He stood up, said _“Excuse me,”_ and quickly left the table.

Mrs. Loud stood up as well. “I-I’ll be right back, girls!” And with that, she followed her husband.

The girls watched them go forlornly. They sat at the table in complete silence, listening to the faint sobs escaping their parents’ room. Some of them began to break down as well. What Lucy said was true – as harsh as he had been, the girls still loved their father, and hated being parted from him almost as much as they hated being parted from Lincoln.

Almost.

Eventually, Mr. and Mrs. Loud came back to the table. Mr. Loud’s eyes were red and puffy, but he was calm again. Sitting down at the head of the table, he said, almost emotionlessly, “I’ll miss you girls too.” Then he started eating the last of his spaghetti.

No-one said a word for the rest of dinner. The girls had realized that their father was suffering from their move just as much as they were, and none of them wanted to make him suffer more. Lucy, at least, was content with the outcome of the conversation. She didn’t expect to change Mr. Loud’s mind all at once, but at least she had made an impact.

(…)

After dinner came bath time, though no-one felt like taking a bath that night. As such, the line went quicker than usual, but still not quickly enough for most of the girls. Lynn hated standing behind Luan, and Lana kept her face turned away from the head of the line, where Lola was, the entire time.

Luna allowed the others to go first, and as such was the last to hop into the shower. Once she was done, she threw on her bathrobe, brushed her teeth, and headed for her room. As she grasped the doorknob, however, she heard sobs coming from within.

“Luan?” Luna called.

The sobbing stopped. Gingerly, Luna turned the doorknob and opened the door, peeking inside. Luan was sitting up on her bed, legs crossed, forcing a smile.

“Ah… h-hey, Luna!” Luan said.

Luna came in. “Uh… you alright?” she asked.

Luan’s eyes darted away briefly before returning to Luna. “U-Um, _yeah!_ Sure, I…” Her smile started to fade. “It’s… it’s just…”

Luna folded her arms, leaning against the wall. “Still upset?”

Luan sagged, sighing. “Yeah.”

“Hey…” Luna came over and sat down next to Luan. “…it’s okay. Things… Things are gonna be alright. You know, the more I think about it, the more I think Dad might be right. Maybe this _is_ for the best…”

_“Mmm…”_ Luan still didn’t like it, but it made sense. “Maybe… Hey, Luna?”

“Yeah?”

“…Thanks.”

Luna arched an eyebrow. “Hm? For what?”

“For… I dunno…” Luan shrugged. “I guess… it’s nice to just… _talk_ about this, you know?”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Luna shared a curious look with Luan, then got up and answered it. It was Lana, and she was carrying her pillow and a blanket.

“Lana? What is it?” Luna asked.

“…Can I sleep with you tonight?” Lana asked.

“Wha…?” Luna leaned against the doorway. “What’s the matter?”

Lana looked sullen. “…I don’t want to sleep in the same room as _her.”_

“O- _Oh._ Well, uh…” Luna looked back at Luan. It seemed as though they had been connecting just earlier, and Luna decided that she didn’t want any distractions to spoil that. She turned back to Lana. “Well… Why don’t you go sleep with Lori or Leni then, huh?”

“I _wanted_ to, but Lucy’s there. And between her and Lori and Leni and Lily, well… it’s just too crowded in there. And Lynn…” Lana looked nervously at Lynn and Lucy’s room. “Lynn kinda… scares me right now. So, please…?”

“Um…” Luna tried to think of another way to send Lana away without hurting her feelings. “W-Well… Why don’t you just try… talking to Lola?”

Lana folded her arms and pouted. “What’s there to talk about?” There was venom in her voice.

“What’s –?” Luna stopped short. She remembered what Luan had said, and got an idea. She kneeled down to Lana’s level, and put a hand on her shoulder.

“A _lot._ There’s a _lot_ to talk about.” She stood up. “Dudes, come on. _Emergency sibling meeting.”_

Luan hopped off the bed, confused. Luna ordered her and Lana to go to Lori and Leni’s room and tell them and Lucy about the meeting, then went and knocked on Lynn’s door.

The door opened a crack, and Luna saw Lynn staring out at her suspiciously.

“…What do _you_ want?” she said.

Luna rubbed the back of her head. “Um… There’s… an emergency sibling meeting.”

_“Hmph._ Are _they_ gonna be there, too?”

“Who?”

“You know who.”

“I… well…” Luna sighed. “This concerns _all_ of us, Lynn.”

“Thought so. Guess you’ll have to have the meeting without me.”

Lynn began to shut the door, but Luna stopped it. “Lynn, _wait!”_

Lynn pushed the door harder. _“Go away!”_

Luna struggled to match her force. _“Hnngh…!_ Lynn, look… I’m _sorry,_ okay? I’m _sorry.”_

Lynn stopped pushing. Noticing this, Luna stopped as well, and turned to lean against the door. “I… I lost control back there, and… that was not cool. I think we _all_ just lost control. We were all under a lot of stress – we still _are,_ actually. And I… I think we need to work that out, okay? _Together.”_ She turned to face the door again. _“Please,_ Lynn… all I’m saying is, give peace a chance…”

Lynn continued to stare at her for several moments. Finally, she sighed, and opened the door.

_“Let’s get this over with…”_ she grumbled.

“Thank you.” As Lynn began to head to Lori and Leni’s room, Luna stopped her. “Ah… _wait._ Could you… get Lisa? I need to try to convince Lola, too…”

Lynn looked at Lisa’s room, then back to Luna. “Her, too?”

Luna nodded. “Like I said, this concerns all of us.”

Lynn stared at Lisa’s room again, then shrugged. “All right.”

As Luna went to Lola and Lana’s room, Lynn knocked on Lisa’s door.

There was no answer. Impatiently, Lynn knocked again. Still no answer. After a few more tries, Lisa answered the door.

“Lisa,” Lynn said, “emergency sibling –”

“I’m bus _h_ y. Leave me alone.”

Lisa shut the door again. Lynn stood there, hands clenched into fists, air hissing out through her teeth. She raised her fist, started banging on the door, and didn’t stop. Meanwhile, Luna led an unhappy Lola by the hand to the meeting room.

After a full minute of knocking, Lisa answered the door again, this time quite irritated.

“I _shaid,_ I’m – _HEY!”_

Lynn grabbed Lisa by the shirt, dragging her out the doorway. _“This concerns ALL of us, Lisa!”_ she snapped.

Lisa tried to resist, but her small body was no match for Lynn’s brute strength. Struggling all the while, Lisa was dragged to Lori and Leni’s room and planted down on Leni’s bed, next to Lola. She turned towards the door, but Lynn walked up and guarded it, silently warning Lisa not to try anything.

With nowhere to go, Lisa could only sit on the bed, arms crossed, and fume. A pungent smell reached Lola’s nose, and upon inspection, she found it to be coming from Lisa.

“ _Ewww…_ Lisa, when’s the last time you bathed?” Lola asked, covering her nose.

Lisa didn’t look at her. _“I can’t recall,”_ she growled.

As Lola scooted further away from Lisa, Luna took one of Lori’s shoes from the closet and banged it on the sewing table like a gavel, just like she remembered Lori always doing. “Uh… So… I officially call this emergency sibling meeting to order,” she said hesitantly.

Lynn leaned against the door. “All right, so here we all are. Now what’s this about?”

Everyone looked at Luna expectantly. Luna fidgeted under all the attention – she still wasn’t used to the feeling of being in charge. “Uh… Um… D-Dudes…” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and leaned forward on the sewing table.

“Dudes… we need to talk.”

There was a moment of silence. Then, Lucy asked the obvious question: “About _what?”_

“About _anything.”_ Luna’s gaze swept over everyone. “Look, that fight back there… that was messed up, okay? And I think, with everything that’s happened these past few days – no, this past _month-and-a-half,_ we’re all just… I dunno, _wound-up tight,_ I guess? That had to have been what caused it. There’s a better way to blow off steam without anyone getting hurt. So, I figured we should just… _talk._ About anything that’s bugging us; anything that we think we _need_ to talk about; anything we want to get off our chests.” She paused. “So… does anyone have something they want to talk about?”

The other sisters all sat there, pensive. It was such a simple question, yet one that was so difficult to answer. What _was_ there to talk about? Where to _start,_ that is? What did the girls _want_ to talk about?

The girls pondered this for several minutes, while Luna waited uneasily. Finally, Lynn broke the silence. “Guys, there’s only one thing we _should_ be talking about: the move.”

Luna sighed, relieved at even the slightest progress being made. “Okay, Lynn, okay. If that’s what you want to talk about, then okay. What about the move?”

“It’s _bullshit,_ is what it is!”

Leni gasped, and covered Lily’s ears. “Lynn! _Language!”_

Lynn glared at her. _“I. Don’t. Care._ It’s _bullshit_ , so I call it _bullshit!”_ She walked to the center of the room. “Why do we have to leave?! We fight all the time! Why should this one little slip be it for us? _It’s not fair!”_

Lisa adjusted her glasses. “Pardon me, but _what_ is _h_ the meaning of this _h_ dis _h_ cuss _h_ ion about leaving?”

Luna looked at Lisa. “Huh? Oh, right, I forgot to tell you… Uh, Lisa, you weren’t there, but there was a big fight today, and now, well, Mom and Dad decided that Lincoln won’t get better with us around, so they’re making all of us, except Lily, move away.”

Lisa sat up, suddenly alert. “What? _When?”_

“Tomorrow morning.”

_“Tomorrow morning?!”_ Lisa started chewing on her thumbnail, eyes darting back and forth. “This _h_ will not do,” she muttered. “No, this _h_ s _h_ imply will not do at _all._ I’ll have to move up my timetable…”

Luna was about to ask what Lisa was talking about, but was cut off by Lynn resuming her rant. _“It’s not fair!”_ she repeated. “Why should _all_ of us suffer for something that _one_ of us did?!”

“Yeah!” Lana said, shooting a dirty look at Lola, who folded her arms and scowled.

“Well, you’re right about _one_ of us being responsible for this…” she said.

“Oh, don’t start _that_ again…”

“The fight… I wasn’t even a part of it…” Leni said sadly.

“Nor I,” Lisa added.

“Exactly! Which is why we can’t take this sitting down!” Lynn finished.

Luna stepped forward. Lynn was doing it again – riling up the others, just like she had done in the abortion clinic. She realized that she had to do something.

“Look, Lynn,” she said, “I don’t like it any more than you do. But what do you suggest we do? _Revolt?”_

Lynn looked at Luna, fiery determination in her eyes. _“If we have to,”_ she replied.

“Lynn, _come on!”_

“They’re not giving us a _choice_ , Luna!”

“Um, _yeah!_ Because they’re our _parents,_ and making the hard choices for us is what they _do!”_

“Well, who says that they always make the _right_ choices?! They’re making us move away, when we need the both of them; they made us go to school, where everyone hates us; they made us _abort our children,_ for Christ’s sakes!”

“Lynn…!” Luna pinched the bridge of her nose. “I hated having to get that abortion, too. But could you imagine what people would think if we chose to keep our brother’s children?”

Lucy stood up. “Yeah. And you should appreciate what you had, Lynn; what you _still_ have.” She looked down, rubbing the area below her navel again. “At least you can still _have_ children…”

Lola, Lana, and Lisa all looked down as well, shamefully holding their stomachs.

_“Ah…_ well…” Lynn turned to Lisa. “You could fix that, couldn’t you, Lisa?”

Lisa thought about it. “…I _could,”_ she replied.

“Well, there you go. And anyways, they were _our_ children, too – so it should have been _our_ choice what to do with them.”

“It _was_ our choice, Lynn,” Luna retorted. “And we _chose_ to go through with the abortions. Remember?”

Lynn was momentarily stunned by this. “Uh… Um… O-Okay, fair enough. B-But that’s only because we thought our parents knew what was best for us! Well I say, not anymore. I say that from now on, we make our _own_ decisions, based on our _own_ judgement! Who’s with me?”

“Yeah!” Lola shouted, jumping up and throwing her fist in the air.

“I concur,” Lisa said.

Luna looked around the room, and saw that the others were similarly swayed. She knew that she had to make a rebuttal. “Okay, Lynn, look – I’m just playing devil’s advocate here, but _look._ Our parents love us, okay? And they just want what’s best for us – even if we don’t like it. Whether that means making us get abortions, or making us move away, they’re always thinking about us, you know?”

Lynn’s resolve wavered, if only briefly. “I… I know they are. B-But that doesn’t mean that they know what’s best for us!”

“And you _do?_ Come on, Lynn! You’re talking about staying _here,_ in a home with a brother who’s terrified of us, in a town with people who hate us!”

“Hey, you know what? That’s bullshit, too! They _know_ it wasn’t our fault, so _why do they still hate us?!”_

“Because it was rape.”

Everyone stiffened upon hearing that word. They turned to Lucy, who had said it.

“What we did… was rape. We may not have wanted to do it, but it was rape. We may regret doing it, but it was rape. We may have been proven to not have been in control of ourselves, _but it was still rape.”_ She stared straight at Lynn. “Would _you_ forgive a rapist, Lynn? Would _I?”_

Lynn blanched. “I… _I…”_ She shook her head angrily. “W-We just have to ignore them! Ignore them, and, and stick together! Leni’s right, we… w-we have to keep on going, _together!”_ She stretched her arms out from side-to-side. “Come on, guys, there’s nine of us, and only two of them! If we all work together, we can stand against them!”

Luna snorted derisively. “Well, if you think you’re brave enough to face Dad’s _belt_ again, then be my guest…”

All of the girls shuddered at the thought of that, even Lynn, despite her best attempts to maintain control. For the longest while after that, no-one could think of anything to say, until Lana sighed angrily.

“Well, we wouldn’t even have to be moving out in the first place, if _Lola_ hadn’t decided to be a little spoiled brat…” she said.

Lola turned to her twin sister, slamming her hands on the bed. _“HEY!”_

 “You _were!_ You still _are!”_ Lana hopped off the bed and pointed at her. “Who do you think you are, blaming Lincoln for all this?!”

Lola hopped off her bed as well, and stared Lana down. _“He_ was the one who went to the park! _He_ was the one who splashed in the fountain! _HE caused all of this!!!”_

Lynn stepped forwards. “Hey, _enough –”_

But Luna held out her arm, stopping her. “If they start hitting each other, _then_ stop them,” she told Lynn. “Otherwise, just let them vent.”

_“So what?!_ He never expected any of _this_ to happen! _None of us did!_ So don’t hold that against him! And don’t pretend that you’re completely blameless in all of this!”

_“It’s not my fault!”_ Lola screamed.

“Doesn’t matter! I still remember that day, and so do you! You know what you did! _You were just as much a part of it as everyone else!”_

_“I NEVER WANTED IT TO HAPPEN LIKE **THAT!!!”**_

_“NONE OF US DID!!!”_

A gasp went out among all the sisters. Lola and Lana stopped arguing and looked at the others, wondering what was wrong, before they thought about what they had just said in the heat of the moment, and realization struck.

“No… None of us…” Lana repeated weakly, as she looked from sister to sister.

The others all stared at each other, dumbfounded. Each of them could see what the others were thinking. Lana was right. _None_ of them had wanted it to happen _“like ‘that’”._

Not _“at all”._

_“Like ‘that’”._

The girls were so confused. Why? What did it mean?

“I… I don’t get it…” Lola said.

_“Sigh.”_ Lucy had been afraid of this, and now it was undeniable – not just to herself, but to everyone. “I think _I_ can explain.”

She hopped off the bed and headed to the door. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and left.

A few moments later, she returned with a sheet of paper in hand. “I wrote a poem that speaks for all of us. It’s called ‘Forbidden’.

_He is so close, and yet so far/_

_The apple of my eye._

_I know it’s wrong, but it feels right/_

_I often wonder why._

_The more I see him, the more I yearn/_

_To pluck that forbidden fruit._

_If I follow my heart, I know/_

_My mind will follow suit._

_A serpent slithers in my soul/_

_Telling me to bite it._

_It tempts me sorely, day and night/_

_No matter how I fight it._

_I know that he, and all the world/_

_Will know, and disapprove._

_But I will soon be conquered, lost/_

_I’ll have to make my move._ ”

Lucy lowered the poem, and looked up at her sisters, who blinked at her, uncomprehending.

“You guys…” Lucy started shaking. “Don’t you get it?” She took a deep breath, and laid the awful truth bare:

“We’re all in love with Lincoln. _That’s_ the real reason why we don’t want to leave.”

Lola gave a strangled cry, but the others were stunned speechless. They didn’t want to believe it; it was absurd, impossible! To feel that way for their brother, their own flesh and blood, was… horrible, _disgusting!_ They would _never_ hold such feelings! The Loud sisters all told themselves these things, desperately trying to convince themselves that they were true… but the more they thought about it, the more it started to make sense, no matter how badly they didn’t want it to. The true nature of the guilt they felt; the older sisters’ unexplained sense of joy from learning of their pregnancies, and their subsequent devastation over terminating them; their overwhelming desire to see Lincoln again; their misery without him in their lives; and the simple fact that they couldn’t stop thinking about him – now they understood what it all truly meant.

Lucy was right; they had never realized it until now, but they were in love with their brother.

“C… Could it be…” Lynn said, “…that the pheromone is still, somehow…?”

Everyone looked at Lisa, who sighed, adjusting her glasses.

“There’s _h_ only one way to find out,” she said.

Lisa got up and walked out of the room, followed by her other sisters. They came to the room that Lisa used to share with Lily.

Lisa turned to her other sisters. “Firs _h_ t, I mus _h_ t s _h_ ynthes _h_ iz _h_ e the reagent. Pray excus _h_ e me.”

She entered her room, and started mixing chemicals. After several minutes, she re-emerged, a pipette and a beaker full of reagent in hand.

“Now, we mus _h_ t tes _h_ t it on Lincoln.”

“Wha –? On _Lincoln?_ How?” Luan asked.

Lisa looked around, and saw the rubbish pile outside Lincoln’s door. She filled the pipette, set down the beaker, and picked up a used moist towelette.

“With thes _h_ e.” She held the towelette flat in her hands, and dropped a few droplets of reagent on it. There was no reaction. She discarded the towelette, picked up another one, and tested it as well. No reaction. Lisa went through seven more used towelettes before she was certain that there was no trace of the pheromone in Lincoln’s sweat or skin.

Next, she collected three dirty diapers from the rubbish pile. “I ass _h_ ume you don’t want to s _h_ ee this _h_?” she said.

The others quickly denied it. Nodding, Lisa retired to her room again, to test the diapers. After a few minutes, she came back out.

“Anything?” Luna asked.

Lisa shook her head. “Negatory. There is _h_ no trac _h_ e of the pheromone in Lincoln’s _h_ body.”

“W-Well…” Leni said nervously. “M-Maybe… Maybe it’s in the _air?”_

Lisa considered that, and decided that for once, Leni had a point. Considering that 80 percent of common household dust was comprised of dead human skin cells, it was possible, though unlikely, that Lincoln’s skin cells were still permeated with the pheromone, and had the same effect on the girls’ bodies.

“Follow me,” she said.

Lisa led the girls downstairs to the kitchen, where she retrieved an empty spray bottle from underneath the sink and poured the reagent into it. She then led them all throughout the house, spraying the reagent in the air and on surfaces. Although she covered each room very thoroughly, there was never any reaction.

The trek ended back in Lori and Leni’s room. Once she was done testing the air and surfaces in the room, Lisa turned to her sisters. “Well, I have covered every area of the hous _h_ e (exc _h_ ept for the parental units _h_ ’ room), and have found no trac _h_ e of the pheromone anywhere. Thus _h_ , the pheromone cannot be affecting us _h,_ which therefore naturally leads _h_ me to conclude that thes _h_ e feelings _h_ that we harbor for Lincoln…” She turned her gaze downwards. “…are entirely our own.”

The girls were all stunned. Lisa was a genius; Lisa knew better than anyone; _Lisa was never wrong._

So… the romantic feelings they had for Lincoln… were _real?_

Luna stared out into space, and whispered, “No…”

She separated from the crowd, and walked over to the sewing table. “No…”

Feeling weak, she rested her elbows on the table and leaned on it, cupping her face in her hands and moaning, _“No…”_

The other girls stumbled over to the beds, their legs also unable to support them any longer. And for the longest time… no-one said anything. Each of them retreated into themselves, trying to come to terms with this shocking new development.

Half an hour passed in silence; it felt like years. Finally, Luan spoke up, jolting everyone back into the real world.

“How…” she said, _“…how did this happen?”_

Lisa hopped off the bed and came to the center of the room. “Well… I can’t s _h_ ay I’m s _h_ urpris _h_ ed. Lincoln is _h_ , or _wash,_ kindhearted, s _h_ ens _h_ itive, compass _h_ ionate, helpful, level-headed; occas _h_ ionally s _h_ elfis _h_ , but always _h_ learning his _h_ less _h_ on in the end and making things _h_ right – an admirable development of character, and a flaw that s _h_ erves _h_ to humaniz _h_ e him and make him relatable; not _particularly_ attractive, but not at all _un_ attractive, either, and his _h_ white hair and chipped tooth s _h_ erve as _h_ dis _h_ tinguis _h_ ing features _h_ that give him a unique appearanc _h_ e…” She shrugged. “Hones _h_ tly, I’m s _h_ urpris _h_ ed that _more_ females _h_ haven’t fallen in love with him…”

“But… But he’s our _brother!”_ Lana said.

“Indeed. And it is _h_ due to this _h_ combination of s _h_ ame, denial, and a recognition of the inc _h_ es _h_ t taboo that is _h_ a part of our culture that caus _h_ ed us _h_ to repress _h_ thes _h_ e romantic feelings _h_ for Lincoln, pus _h_ ing them into our s _h_ ubconc _h_ ious _h_ minds _h_ until they were unearthed by the pheromone, which affected us _h_ on a ps _h_ ychological level as _h_ well as _h_ a phys _h_ ical one, and by the events _h_ which trans _h_ pired under its _h_ effects _h_ and the cons _h_ equenc _h_ es _h_ thereof, which made thes _h_ e feelings _h_ relevant.”

Luna struggled to follow this flow of information. “So… you’re saying… that if it wasn’t for the pheromone, we’d never have realized…?”

Lisa nodded. “…Correct.”

The girls looked at each other in horror. It was only now that they realized their true feelings for their brother that had been buried all along.

And it was only now, much too late, that they realized that those feelings should have _stayed_ buried, _forever._

There was another long period of silence. Then, once again, Luan spoke up.

“Wh… Wh… Wh…” She struggled to form her words. “…What… are we going to do…?”

Luna shut her eyes, looking for a solution. After deliberating the options for a while, she developed an idea. “Alright, Lynn,” she said, “you said we needed to make our own decisions? Alright, we _will._ We can decide to move away, and obey Mom and Dad… or we can decide to stay here, and fight them.” She picked up the shoe-gavel. “So, now I’ve really gotta know: should we stay, or should we go?” She looked at her eldest sister first. “Lori?”

Lori pulled her knees into her chest, shivering. “I’m staying… I just don’t care anymore… I _need_ him… _I need Lincoln…”_

Luna nodded. “All right. Leni?”

“Um… Uh…” Leni said nervously. “Um…”

Luna tapped her foot. “Well?”

“Just, like… give me a second, okay?” She continued to deliberate and dither for several minutes, until Lynn grew impatient.

“Leni, _come on!”_

“I… I just _don’t know,_ okay?! I just _don’t know!_ I-I mean, I wanna _stay,_ but… but I also wanna _go,_ too! I don’t know, just…” She waved them away. “Just… come back to me, okay?”

“Fine.” Luna faced the others. “Well… I say we leave. I think Dad’s right – this would be best for all of us. It’ll let Lincoln get better, and it’ll let us get over the feelings that we kinda… sorta…” She shook her head and sighed – she had to stop lying to herself. “… _definitely_ have for him. In a new place… we could get over this whole thing.”

Luan nodded. “You know… I’m with Luna on this one.”

“W-Well, I’m _not!”_ Lynn jumped back up. “Come on, you guys, we can do this! We can make this work!” There was desperation in her voice – she had been desperate the entire time, but now it was painfully obvious. “If we just… _stop fighting,_ and stick together, we can fight! Mom and Dad, everyone in Royal Woods – we can fight them! A-And besides, we… We _can’t_ leave now. Lincoln needs us… and we need him…”

“Lynn,” Lucy said, “I want to stay here, with Lincoln, just as much as you do. But these feelings we have for him…” She shook her head. “They’re just not right. I don’t _want_ to get over them, but… I _have_ to.” She looked at Luna. “I say we go.”

“I say we stay,” Lola said. “This is _our_ home, and _no-one,_ not even Mom and Dad, can force us to leave if we don’t want to!” She folded her arms. “If anyone should move, it should be _Lincoln…”_

_“What?!”_ Lana shouted. “Lola, would you just _let that go, already?!”_

Lola shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “This… This is _his_ fault! None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for _him!”_

Lana clenched the sheets, growling furiously. _“…Fine!_ If _that’s_ how you’re going to be, then _FINE!_ I was going to say we stay, but now I say we go!”

Lola’s face turned red. Scowling, she turned her back to Lana, refusing to have anything to do with her.

Luna sighed again – she had a feeling that this wouldn’t be pretty. “Lisa?”

“I propos _h_ e that we remain in our current res _h_ idenc _h_ e,” the wunderkind said. “My work is _h_ yet unfinis _h_ ed, and I would very much like to finis _h_ it – s _h_ omething that I cannot do if we were to depart tomorrow morning.”

“All right, then. Let’s see, there’s Lori, Lynn, Lola, and Lisa, and then there’s me, Luan, Lucy, and Lana…” Luna counted up the votes, and with the final count, went wide-eyed and groaned in exasperation. “It’s a _tie…!”_

Lynn folded her arms and huffed. _“Great.”_

“Hang on,” Luan said, “does Lily get a vote?”

Luna thought about it, then shook her head. “No, Lily… she gets to stay no matter what. And besides, she wasn’t a part of the incident, remember? So, _no.”_

“Hmmm…” Lynn snapped her fingers. “Hey, wait a minute! Leni didn’t vote!”

“Hey, that’s right!” Luna and all her other sisters looked at Leni expectantly. “Come on, Leni, you _have_ to make a decision…”

Leni shut her eyes, rocked back and forth, and desperately tried to come up with an answer. Her mind started drifting away from the difficult thoughts, like it always did…

…and it hit upon something. Leni’s face lit up. “You guys,” she said, “I just thought of something.”

_“What?”_ Lynn demanded.

“This whole time, we’ve just been talking about what _we_ want. Maybe… Maybe we should think about what _Lincoln_ wants…”

The girls gasped and looked at each other, ashamed. None of them would ever had thought of that. That was Leni – always so considerate of other people’s feelings…

“So, what would Lincoln want us to do?” Leni asked.

Luna looked at Lynn. “Well, Lynn?”

Lynn’s eyes burned with anger. _“Don’t you dare.”_

Luna sighed. “He’d want us to go.”

“Then I say we go.”

“Leni, _no!”_

Luna banged the shoe-gavel on the table. “Too late, Lynn – it’s settled. Majority rules; we’re leaving.”

Lola pounded the bed, throwing another tantrum. “No, no, _no!_ This isn’t fair! _Rrgh…! LANA!_ Why did you have to change your vote?!”

“I don’t know – why did _you_ have to be a _stuck-up, selfish brat?!”_

_“You…!”_ Lola leapt at Lana, who grabbed her by the wrists and started struggling with her.

“Hey! _Hey!”_ Luna shouted. “Break it up, you two, _break it up!”_

As Luna and Lucy separated the twins, Lynn noticed Lisa leaving. She got up and followed her.

“Lisa, where are you going?” she asked.

“Back to work,” Lisa replied. “There’s _h_ no time to los _h_ e.”

“Lisa, you have to help me fight this!”

“What’s _h_ the point? That would only res _h_ ult in more pointless _h_ debating and bickering, which I have neither the time nor patienc _h_ e for.” She arrived back at her room.

“Lisa, you can’t just run away from this…!”

“Watch me.” She prepared to shut the door on Lynn, but Lynn had had enough, and forced her way inside.

_“Lisa…!”_ She advanced on her younger sister threateningly. “What is the matter with you?! You think there isn’t any world outside of your precious lab?! We are out there _suffering,_ trying to make this right, while _you_ just sit in here doing…” She looked at the machine Lisa had built. “… _whatever_ kind of mad science-y shit! You’re not helping anyone except _yourself!_ Lisa…” Lynn loomed over Lisa.

_“…do you even CARE about your own FAMILY?”_

Lisa gritted her teeth, shaking with barely-contained rage. Her emotional side wanted to let loose, unleashing all of her pain and anguish on the ignorant Lynn, but her logical side won out once again, reasoning that she was no match for Lynn’s raw strength, and that she would only get herself trounced. So instead, she pointed at the door.

_“Get… out… of my room…!”_ she said in a low growl.

Lynn’s look turned from anger to utter disgust. She shook her head and sighed, deciding to abandon Lisa as a lost cause. She turned and left, casting one more sickened look at Lisa before slamming the door behind her.

Lisa waited until she was safely out of earshot, then turned to her desk, still cluttered with books and scattered notes. She placed her hands on the desk, leaning over it, heaving. _“‘Do you even care about your own family…’”_ she said mockingly, before her face contorted with fury. _“WHAT DOESH SHE THINK I AM, A SHOULLESSH AUTOMATON?!”_

With one swift stroke, Lisa swept the books and notes off the table and onto the floor, where they clustered in a disorganized heap. Lisa kicked the loose papers like autumn leaves, scattering them further.

_“Who doesh she think SHE ish?! Who do ANY of them think they are?!”_ She picked up her books one by one, and started throwing them at the wall. “If only they knew everything I’ve done for them! If only they knew what they’ve already _done!_ If only –”

She stopped when she saw that the next book she was about to throw was her little green book. She held it in her hands, turning it over and over, as her eyes welled up. “If… If only they knew…”

Finally, Lisa couldn’t take it anymore. She held the little green book close to her chest and collapsed to the floor, curling up into the fetal position and crying.

_“If only they knew… the thingsh I know…”_


	12. Goodbye

Lynn abandoned Lisa to her own selfish devices, and returned to Lori and Leni’s room, where the twins were still arguing. Lynn took Lola’s side, trying to convince the others to change their minds and fight to stay, but it was no use. Lori had retreated back into herself, and was unresponsive; Lola’s attitude had destroyed her credibility; and the others had already made up their minds – for them, the matter was settled. No matter how loudly and desperately Lynn begged, ranted, and raved, the others were not swayed. In the end, Lynn was left sitting on the floor, panting, her throat dry and sore, completely exhausted. By then, it had gotten quite late. Satisfied that Lynn had gotten everything she had wanted to say out, Luna declared the meeting adjourned, and called it a night.

Lori, Leni, Lucy, and Lily remained in the room, while the others retired to their rooms. Lana went to bunk with Luna and Luan, while Lynn and Lola went to their rooms alone. And one by one, the lights in the Loud house went out.

For hours, Lynn lay alone in the darkness, unable to sleep. She tossed and she turned, but her brain just wouldn’t shut off. She tried to push the intrusive thoughts out, out of some remaining sense of decency, though she suspected that it was no use. She tried to deny that the thoughts were true, that the thoughts even _existed_ – but she knew that they were, and that they did.

And that was what kept her wide awake.

Lynn got up. Her intuition was correct – it _was_ no use. She opened the door and sat in the doorway, staring at Lincoln’s room.

She wanted him. She hated herself for it, but she wanted him _so badly._

A few minutes passed. Then, Lynn heard a _clack,_ and the groaning of a door slowly being opened behind her. She turned her head to look, and saw a shape materialize out of the darkness, moving towards her. Seeing how well the shape blended in with the shadows gave Lynn a good guess as to who it was.

She turned back to Lincoln’s room. “…Hey,” she whispered.

Lucy sat down in the hallway perpendicular to her, her back to the wall. “…Hey,” she whispered back.

“…Can’t sleep?”

“…No.”

“…Me either.”

“…Thinking about him?”

Lynn sighed. “…Yeah.”

“…Me too.”

Lynn gave a little sob, resting her chin on her knees. “I… I just… I still can’t believe it…”

Lucy nodded. “It _is_ pretty unbelievable…”

“I mean… we never treated him that way… like, we _love_ loved him…”

 “Well, it’s like Lisa said – it’s a subconscious thing. It makes sense. Like when he was dating Ronnie Anne?”

“Yeah, we weren’t _jealous,_ or anything…”

“No, but we were happy to know that a girl liked Lincoln. It made us happy to see _him_ happy.” Lucy shrugged. “A subconscious thing.”

Lynn sighed. “I don’t know…”

Lucy thought carefully, looking for other instances of their unconscious desire for their brother. _“Hmm…_ Lynn, what did you like about Francisco that made you attracted to him?”

“Huh? Francisco? Well, I mean, that’s obvious, isn’t it? He loved sports and competing just as much as I do.”

Lucy nodded. “Fair enough. What else?”

“What else? Um… _Oh!_ I thought that chip in his tooth was really… cute…” Lynn trailed off at the end.

Lucy looked hard at her. “Remind you of anyone?”

Lynn rested her chin back on her knees again. “Oh, no…”

“Yeah.” Lucy stared off into the blackness, thinking about Rocky Spokes. His freckles, his buck teeth… He wasn’t really Lucy’s type, but he was just so…

So much like Lincoln.

The two were silent for a while after that, contemplating their feelings and everything that had happened that day. Then, Lucy spoke up again. “Hey, Lynn…?”

Lynn perked up. “Yeah?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Lynn shook her head. “No, _I’m_ sorry. I shouldn’t have… lashed out like that. Luna was right, I lost control. We _all_ lost control. I mean, without Lincoln around, we’re just…”

Lucy hung her head. “…Yeah.”

Lynn uttered a quiet, breathy chuckle. “So, you figured it out first, did you…?”

“What?”

“That we were in love with him…?”

 “I’ve read all the romance novels, Lynn. And I’ve had crushes on boys before. I know what it feels like… to be in love.” Lucy hung her head solemnly.

Lynn chuckled at that, before her laughs degenerated into sobs and she buried her face in her lap. Lucy patted her on the back consolingly.

“It’s just not fair, Luce…” Lynn said. “It was bad enough that everyone hated us for what we did, but now, just when we’ve found out how we really feel about Lincoln, we have to leave him?” She sniffled. _“It’s just not fair…!”_

“I know it isn’t, Lynn. But people… A _person_ can be smart, understanding, and kind. But _people…_ people are dumb, judgmental, and mean. You like to think you can act as an individual in a crowd, but… no. And… aren’t you ashamed?”

“Of _course_ I am! But…” Lynn looked longingly at Lincoln’s room, and sighed in despair. “But what can I do?”

_“Sigh._ What a mess…”

“You can say _that_ again…”

Another period of silence followed. At last, Lynn spoke up. “So, you feel the same way, too?”

Lucy nodded. “Mm-hmm. We _all_ do – except for Lily, probably.”

Lynn sneered. “Even _Lola?_ Man, I still can’t believe she blames _him_ for all this! Little brat…”

“Lynn, she’s _six._ Can you imagine having to go through everything we have, at only _six years old?_ _Lori_ couldn’t handle it, and she is, or _was,_ the most mature out of all of us – how do you think _Lola_ could handle it?” Lucy shook her head. “She’s in pain, just like the rest of us, and that’s how she’s chosen to cope with it. She’ll get over it. You’ll see.”

Lynn looked at her goth sister, surprised. “Wow. I… I never thought of it like that. I guess no-one knows pain and suffering like _you_ do, eh, Luce?”

Lucy, unable to help herself, chuckled. Then, after a while, she spoke up again. “…Lynn?”

“Yeah?”

“…Can I move back into _our_ room? I mean, I think it’d be better if we at least suffered _together…”_

Lynn nodded. “…Sure.”

“Thanks. I’ll get my stuff.”

As Lucy stood up and went back to Lori and Leni’s room to fetch her pillow and blanket, Lynn turned her gaze back to Lincoln’s room. Her last remaining shreds of decency were beginning to fade away, and slowly but surely, she began to come to terms with her feelings. She shook her head and sighed as she recalled Lucy’s poem, now ringing true.

She wanted him. She wanted him _so badly._

Lucy returned with her stuff. “You coming in?” she asked.

Lynn waved her away. “You go ahead. I’ll… I’ll be right there.”

Lucy followed her gaze, and nodded understandingly. “…Okay.”

Lucy headed inside, to her own bed, and left Lynn to stare yearningly at Lincoln’s door…

(…)

Lincoln, his back firmly pressed against the door, scanned the room again, paying careful attention to the shadows, trying to find something hiding in them. He had to be vigilant. His sisters’ attempted assault on him that afternoon made him realize that he had become complacent in his misery. He couldn’t take any more chances like that. He needed to stay alert at _all_ times.

And so, he sat on the floor of his room, keeping a careful vigil. Who knows, his sisters could try to slip inside at any moment. Perhaps they had _already_ slipped inside, and Lincoln simply hadn’t noticed! No, that wasn’t possible, he’d surely have found them. But still, the possibility always remained, and so, Lincoln had to stay alert.

It wasn’t easy, though. Lincoln’s eyelids felt heavy, and his mind wandered. The siren song of sleep was calling to him, and it was hard for him to resist. But he had to. To fall asleep would be to leave himself vulnerable, and to leave himself vulnerable would be to invite his sisters to make a move. But _would_ they make a move? Or would they do nothing at first, waiting and biding their time until Lincoln let his guard down again before striking?

Lincoln’s head swam. He just _didn’t know_ anymore. He couldn’t tell what his sisters were up to – one minute, they were friendly, and the next, violent. His tiny room protected him from them, but it was also suffocating him. Lincoln saw dangers in the dark, but they turned out to either be his imagination or his possessions. The entire ordeal felt like a nightmare, and it very well could be one, and Lincoln wanted to believe that it _was_ one, but a quiet but nagging voice in the back of his head told him that it was all really happening, and he knew it. But he couldn’t even believe _that,_ considering how drowsy and disoriented he was.

Lincoln didn’t know what to believe, anymore – in fact, he was beginning to question what was _real._

Lincoln took another look around his room, and shuddered. Once again, he became acutely aware of how close and cramped it was. He began hyperventilating, desperate for air all of a sudden. Clyde’s hyperventilation bags weren’t far, but they were far enough to be out of reach, and Lincoln wasn’t going to risk leaving the door unguarded. Lincoln pressed himself against the door harder, sweating all over. He had to get out of there – but his sisters were outside! Did they really want to hurt him? And if they did, and they caught him, who would save him? His father? Maybe, but he couldn’t be around all the time. So, it wasn’t safe out there. It was safe in the room, but only as long as Lincoln remained vigilant – and even then, not offering much shelter from nine aggressive sisters. And besides, he hated it in there.

So, where could he go? What could he do? Who could he rely on?

It was all so confusing, so _maddening…_

Lincoln felt dizzy. He reached out for something to hold on to, and felt a familiar soft sensation. Closing his hand around the object, he pulled it close, and recognized it as his beloved stuffed rabbit, Bun-Bun. Shaking and sobbing, Lincoln pulled Bun-Bun close to his chest, and immediately felt comforted. Steadily, his breathing slowed, and his heart stopped hammering in his chest. He looked down at Bun-Bun, feeling his fur, his stuffing, the cloth of his shirt. And he knew it was real.

Lincoln sighed in relief, happy to have found something constant. As he continued to hold Bun-Bun close, his eyelids fluttered.

_“Oh, Bun-Bun,”_ he whispered, _“you’re the only one I can still trust…”_

Lincoln closed his eyes…

…and just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard a voice say:

_“Thanks, Lincoln.”_

Lincoln snapped awake, looking around the room frantically. Who said that? Where did the voice come from? It… _thanked_ him? For what? Was it something he said? Lincoln thought back to what he had said, and realized that if it was something he said, then the voice could only have come from one source.

Lincoln looked back down at his stuffed rabbit. “Did… Did you just _talk?”_

What Bun-Bun said surprised Lincoln more than the fact that he talked at all. _“No, Lincoln. This is all in your head.”_

Lincoln stared at Bun-Bun, baffled, before his brain managed to process what he had just said, and he hung his head and sighed. “I knew it…” he moaned. It had finally happened. He had been getting worn down for days, weeks, a month-and-a-half – and now he had finally cracked. Almost involuntarily, he let out a little snicker.

_“What’s so funny?”_ Bun-Bun asked.

Lincoln shook his head. “I… Well, I was just wondering why I didn’t start doing this sooner…”

_“It’s been stressful these past few days, hasn’t it?”_

“Yeah, I guess. And now…” Lincoln stopped, as he realized just what he was doing. “…And now I’m talking to a stuffed animal.” He set Bun-Bun down, and turned away. As soon as he did, though, he began to feel that same mortal dread creep back up on him. Feeling anxious, and remembering the comfort and sense of ease that Bun-Bun brought, Lincoln quickly picked him back up again. He turned the stuffed rabbit over and over in his hands, and thought about the last time he had ever talked – _truly_ talked – to someone. Bun-Bun had two large ears, ready for listening, and Lincoln knew that he was real, and could be trusted…

He shook his head and sighed, caving in. “Well… it’s still nice to have _somebody_ to talk to, I guess…”

_“We all need somebody to talk to, Lincoln – even if they’re only imaginary.”_

“Yeah, I guess…”

_“So, what’s going on? With you, I mean.”_

Lincoln sighed again. “Well… my sisters are moving away…”

_“And how does that make you feel?”_

Lincoln rested his head in one hand, thinking. “I… I thought… I thought I would be happy…”

_“And you’re not?”_

“No, I _am._ But, at the same time…” Lincoln sagged. “At the same time… I’m not.”

_“You’re torn.”_

“Yeah, exactly!” Lincoln shook his head. “I don’t get it…”

_“Hmmm… Lincoln, you know WHY your sisters fell in love with you, don’t you?”_

“Huh? Uh, yeah, it was a pheromone…”

_“And you know that the pheromone is gone, now?”_

“I…” Lincoln got a pained look on his face. “I don’t know…”

_“Lincoln, you know why your sisters did what they did to you. You know that they would never do something like that of their own free will. So, if the pheromone is gone, then you have nothing to fear, don’t you?”_

“B-B-But… B-But what about all that, earlier?! When Lola, an-and all the others tried to burst in here?”

_“Lincoln, you don’t know what your sisters were thinking – how they were feeling. You don’t understand why they did that. And you’ll never find out sitting in here, all alone.”_

“B-B-But –”

_“Lincoln, your sisters love you – as a brother. And deep down, even though you might not think so, you still love them, too. That’s why you’re sad to see them go, isn’t it?”_

Lincoln didn’t respond.

_“They miss you, Lincoln, and you miss them. You need to go and see them before they go.”_

Lincoln trembled at the thought of that. “But…”

_“Lincoln, it’ll be okay. They won’t hurt you. They love you.”_

Lincoln closed his eyes. Bun-Bun’s encouraging words were starting to give him hope. He didn’t think he could before, but now, he wondered if, perhaps, he _could._ Maybe Bun-Bun was right. Maybe all he had to do was talk to the girls.

And yet, he couldn’t help but hesitate, knowing the risks…

**_“Heheheheheh.”_ **

A deep, throaty chuckle emanated from elsewhere in the room. Looking around, Lincoln found that it was coming from his ScissoRobo Z action figure. Picking it up off the dresser, it began to talk to him as well.

**“Oh, _please._ Lincoln, you’re a smart kid. Think about it – your sisters _raped you._ They grabbed you, tugged you, scratched you, shoved you, _bit you_ ; you nearly drowned in that fountain several times, remember?** **And now they’re back, and they _know_ how much pain you’re in, and they’re _still_ tormenting you!”** ScissoRobo Z laughed again. **“Does that sound like something people who love you would do?”**

Lincoln bit his lip. “Um…”

_“Quiet, you!”_ Bun-Bun said. _“This is NOT what he needs to hear right now!”_

**“What he needs to hear right now is the _truth_ – not the lies you’ve been spoon-feeding him! Lincoln, what do you know?”**

“W-What…?”

**_“What do you know?_ About the pheromone, about your sisters, about the world outside your room? About _anything?”_**

_“Don’t listen to him, Lincoln!”_

**“Hey, why don’t you let _him_ think for himself, hmm? Go on, Lincoln.”**

“U-Uh… Um…”

**“Exactly. It’s all so unclear, isn’t it? You don’t know how the pheromone works; you don’t know what your sisters want; you don’t know what’s going on out there! And you can’t find out, can you? That’s _scary,_ isn’t it? Not knowing anything, trapped in here. You _scared,_ Lincoln?”**

_“Stop it! Leave him alone! L-Lincoln, soon you won’t HAVE anything to be scared about, won’t you?”_

“Um… D-Dad said that m-my sisters are going away tomorrow…”

**“And you _believed him?_ Lincoln, you believed your sisters when they said they were sorry, and look how _that_ turned out. For all you know, they might just wait until your father tells you that they’re gone, and when you come out, _WHAM! They getcha!_ How can you believe anyone else, then? Your father? He _abandoned you_ with Mr. Grouse, remember? Clyde? The girls might have sent him in here to _spy on you,_ did you ever think of that? That detective? _He locked you in a cell in the same room as your sisters! Remember?!_ They’re out to get you, Lincoln – you can’t trust any of them!”**

_“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Lincoln, don’t listen to him – th-this isn’t real!”_

**_“That’s part of the problem!_ Lincoln, the simple fact that we’re here, speaking to you, means that you can’t even trust your own _MIND,_ anymore!”**

“S-So what do you want me to do?!”

**“The one thing you have complete agency over! Lincoln, set us down.”**

Lincoln looked from ScissoRobo Z to Bun-Bun.

_“…Don’t. Don’t do it. Don’t listen to him. Don’t.”_

But Lincoln was curious to see where this was going. He set Bun-Bun back on the bed, and ScissoRobo Z back on the dresser.

**“Good. Now, stand up.”**

Slowly, Lincoln rose, keeping his back pressed to the door.

**“Now, go open the upper-right hand drawer.”**

Lincoln hesitated.

**“It’s okay, we’re watching the door. Aren’t we, bunny rabbit?”**

_“Lincoln, don’t…!”_

Lincoln didn’t listen – his curiosity had won out. Mustering up his courage, he separated from the door, and took a large step towards the drawer. He quickly opened it – and his eyes widened as they were laid upon the object within, reflecting the pale moonlight.

**“Pick it up, Lincoln.”**

_“Lincoln –”_

**“Pick. It. Up.”**

Hands shaking, Lincoln reached in, and took out the mirror shard. The sharp edges bit into his hand.

**“You remember that, don’t you, Lincoln? You tucked it into your waistband behind your back while your dad was calling the hospital, then you took it to your room afterwards to continue what you started – except you didn’t need to, because you saw yourself in the mirror, and you were already far away from ‘cute’, weren’t you? What do you see now, Lincoln?”**

Lincoln looked at his reflection in the shard – his matted white hair, his pale skin, his sunken eyes, and his gaunt face with three stitched cuts running across it. He was not a pretty sight.

“It… It’s me…”

**“And what _are_ you, Lincoln?”**

Lincoln looked at ScissoRobo Z, confused. “Wha…?”

**“I’ll tell you – a sad, pathetic, miserable, ugly _wretch!”_**

_“STOP IT!!!”_

**_“And you don’t have to stay that way, Lincoln!_...That thing’s pretty sharp, isn’t it? Cuts through flesh like a hot knife through butter. Lincoln… it’s okay. All you have to do… is run that thing across your neck… _and this will all be over.”_**

_“Lincoln, NO!”_

**“Lincoln, _yes!”_**

_“Lincoln! Lincoln, listen to me – this is not real. NOT REAL, do you understand?!”_

**“Sure, sure, this is all just a dream – and when you die, you’ll wake up! Go ahead, try it!”**

_“WHY WON’T YOU JUST SHUT UP?!”_

As Bun-Bun and ScissoRobo Z argued, Lincoln stared in awe at the shard of glass in his hands. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten about it. Here, in his hand… was a miracle. An end to his pain.

A way out of an impossible situation.

Bun-Bun saw that Lincoln was seriously considering it. _“Lincoln… no…”_

**“Do it, Lincoln.”**

“I…” Lincoln began sobbing happily. “I… I don’t know why I never thought about it before…”

_“Because you’re strong! You’re STRONG, Lincoln! Strong enough to go through something like… THAT, and keep going afterwards! Strong enough to not take the easy way out! Strong enough to try to move on! You were strong for your family before, and you can still be strong for them now!”_

That gave Lincoln pause. In his haste for relief, he had forgotten that it wasn’t all about _him_ – there was his father, and Lily, and the pets…

How would they react, _go on,_ if he left them behind?

**“Oh, sure, you’re strong… _AND LOOK WHERE THAT STRENGTH HAS GOTTEN YOU!_ Raped _again!_ Shut up inside this tiny room, scared sleepless, paranoid, wearing a diaper, _talking to your toys!_ Look around you, Lincoln! Do you want _this_ to be your world for the rest of your life?!”**

_“And what world would YOU give him?!”_

**“Hey, if he hasn’t earned a place in Heaven after everything he’s been through, then** _**there is no God!”**_

_“Lincoln, listen to me – it is NOT over! You CAN fight this, and you can WIN!”_

**_“Give me a break!_ Lincoln, wake up – it’s _hopeless!”_**

_“Don’t listen to him, Lincoln – he’s a liar!”_

**“And how are _you_ any more trustworthy?”**

_“I –! I… Lincoln, I…”_

**_“Heheheheh…_ What’s the matter, Lincoln? Can’t even trust your own mind, anymore?”**

_“STOP TORMENTING HIM!!!”_

**“‘Tormenting him’?! I’m trying to _help_ him! I’m offering him _freedom_ – freedom from fear, and pain; all _you_ have to offer him is misery and uncertainty! I am _so sick_ of you! _I’m not going to let you force him to suffer!”_**

_“And I’m not going to let you KILL HIM!”_

Overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, Lincoln dropped the mirror shard and sank to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. _“STOP IT!_ Stop it, stop it, just _stop it, already…”_

Bun-Bun and ScissoRobo Z fell silent as Lincoln held his head in his hands and cried. After twenty minutes, he cried himself out, and the voices returned, both of them now solemn.

**“Lincoln… we only want what we think is best for you.”**

_“Because you’ve been through so much…”_

**“And we want to help you.”**

_“…Everything that’s happened before? It wasn’t your choice.”_

**“The incident at home.”**

_“The incident at the park.”_

**“Staying at the police station.”**

_“Your father leaving you alone.”_

**“Ronnie Anne coming over.”**

_“Your sisters coming home.”_

**“You never had a choice in _any_ of those situations. But now… you _do_ have a choice. And it’s all yours to make. Freedom…”**

_“…or strength.”_

**_“What’s it gonna be, Lincoln?”_ **

Lincoln breathed heavily, slowly picking up the mirror shard and cradling it in his hands. He stared at it in the moonlight… and the boy inside stared back at him…

(…)

“Girls, come on! Breakfast time!”

Morning came. The Loud sisters were all awoken by their mother’s calls – all except for Lynn, who hadn’t managed a wink of sleep. Mrs. Loud came upstairs to personally see her daughters to the dining room, and saw them all shuffle out of their rooms and down the stairs – and noticed that a few were missing.

First, she went to Lisa’s room. As usual, the door was locked. Mrs. Loud knocked on the door. “Lisa? Lisa, breakfast!”

_“…Be right there!”_ a weary voice called from inside.

“Come on, Lisa, I want to see you out of your room, and at the table!”

_“I will! In a moment!”_

_“Now,_ young lady!”

_“Pleashe, Mother, I am putting the finishing touchesh on my work – I will join you momentarily!”_

Mrs. Loud sighed in exasperation and shook her head – Lisa was just impossible, now. All she wanted to do was have one last meal with (nearly) the whole family – but it seemed that even _that_ was out of the question. Lacking the patience to deal with Lisa, Mrs. Loud simply left her, and moved on.

Lynn and Lucy’s room was next, and Mrs. Loud found Lynn sitting on the edge of her bed, tired and morose.

Mrs. Loud understood how she felt. She crossed over to Lynn and helped her up. “Come on, sweetie,” she said gently, “let’s go.”

Lynn plodded out the door and down the stairs without Mrs. Loud’s help. Finally, there was Lori. Mrs. Loud entered her and Leni’s room, and found her eldest daughter lying in her bed, staring off into space.

“Lori, come on, honey,” she said.

Lori didn’t even acknowledge her mother’s presence.

“Look, Lori, I know it’s hard, but believe me, it’s going to be alright. Now, come on.”

Lori didn’t move.

Mrs. Loud folded her arms and glared sternly at Lori. “Lori. Up. _Now.”_

Lori kept on staring at nothing.

Growling with frustration, Mrs. Loud tossed the sheets off of Lori and pulled her out of bed. Lori didn’t resist, but once she was out of bed, she stood where she was, unmoving.

Mrs. Loud sighed. “Lori, _please_ don’t make this any harder than it has to be…”

Lori didn’t even look at her mother, but finally responded to her. With stiff, almost robotic movements, she began to walk towards the door. Mrs. Loud figured that this was better than nothing, so she picked up Lily and brought her downstairs to await Lori’s arrival.

At last, the entire Loud family (minus Lincoln and Lisa) was gathered around the dining room table. Nobody except for Lily had a smile on their face; Lola was particularly upset. Mr. Loud laid a richly-stacked plate of food in front of each girl (except for Lily, who got a pudding packet).

“All right, well,” Mr. Loud said, “since it’s… the last time we’ll be eating together for a while, I’ve pulled out all the stops today. Dig in, girls!”

Lily and Mr. and Mrs. Loud all started eating, but the other girls didn’t touch their plates, instead staring at them dismally. Lori didn’t even have the energy to pick up her fork and knife.

Noticing this, Mrs. Loud swallowed her mouthful and said, “Girls, come on! What are you waiting for?”

Still no-one started eating. After a while, Lynn put down her utensils. “I’m not hungry,” she said.

The other girls put down their forks and knives as well. Mrs. Loud looked at the girls incredulously, before shifting to anger. “Girls, your father puts all this effort into making you a hearty, delicious breakfast, and suddenly you’re just ‘not hungry’?! Can’t you show a _little_ appreciation for the things we do for you?!”

“We _do_ appreciate it, Mom,” Lynn said. “We’re just not hungry.”

Mrs. Loud was about to reprimand them again, when she felt Mr. Loud’s hand on her shoulder. “Honey,” Mr. Loud said, “it’s okay. They’re not hungry.”

Mrs. Loud looked at her husband, chastened, and by his silent request, sat down. “All right then, girls,” Mr. Loud continued, “take your dishes to the kitchen, then.”

The girls all stood up and did so, while their parents and Lily continued eating. As the girls came back out, Mrs. Loud said, “Well, girls, your Great-Aunt Ruth should be here in about an hour, so… be ready by then, okay?”

The girls all mumbled something in the affirmative, then headed upstairs to get dressed. As they began to get ready, they all became aware of the time, and started dreading every passing minute. This was it. This was the day. It was happening.

They were leaving.

Lynn passed by Lana and Lola’s room on her way to see Lincoln one last time, and found Lola lying on her bed sobbing inconsolably. Lynn looked at her, seeing how distraught she was, and remembered what Lucy said the night before. Feeling sorry for Lola, she decided to leave her be.

She then came to Lincoln’s room. Lynn listened in, worried that she would hear more conversing with a non-existent individual, but found eerie silence instead.

Lynn hung her head and choked quietly devastated. Lincoln was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do about it.

No-one did anything significant as the minutes passed by. Finally, right on time, Great-Aunt Ruth arrived at the Loud house and honked her horn.

“Oh, that’s her…” Mrs. Loud came to the foot of the stairs. “Girls! Great-Aunt Ruth’s here. Come on.”

Slow as molasses, the girls came down the stairs with their luggage in tow. Lola came down last, still crying. She hugged Mrs. Loud’s leg.

“Please, Mommy,” she said, “please don’t make me go! I’ll be the best little girl in the world, I _promise!_ I-I’ll never fight, o-or do anything mean to my sisters again, just…” She buried her face in her mother’s pant leg. “Just… _please… don’t make me leave…”_

Mrs. Loud patted Lola’s head. “Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie, but… this _has_ to be done. You’ll adjust, I promise.” She knelt to Lola’s level. “We’ll be okay, princess.” Then she pulled her in for a hug.

Lola returned the hug, but her mood did not improve. “But… But Mom…”

“No, honey. I’m sorry.” Mrs. Loud kissed Lola on the cheek, and released her. Defeated, Lola slinked over to join the rest of the group. Looking at Lola now, Lynn truly did feel sorry for her.

A despondent Mr. Loud came into the living carrying Lily. It was time to say goodbye. The girls and Mrs. Loud looked at him, and he shrank under their gazes. He knew that this would be the hardest part, but he never knew it would be _this_ hard.

He took a deep breath. “Um… girls…”

Mr. Loud was interrupted by Great-Aunt Ruth honking her horn again. Mrs. Loud sighed, and said, “Honey, why don’t you go tell Ruth to give us a few minutes? We’ll say goodbye to Lily.”

Mr. Loud dried his eyes, and nodded. “Okay.”

He handed Lily to Mrs. Loud, and went out the front door. “Okay, girls,” Mrs. Loud said, “say goodbye to Lily.”

The sisters crowded around their baby sister, tearfully hugging and kissing her, saying “Goodbye, Lily”, “We’ll miss you”, and “We love you, Lily…”

Lily giggled happily, thrilled to be receiving so much attention.

The girls backed away, and then it was Mrs. Loud’s turn. Cradling her youngest child, the mother of eleven began to sob. “Oh Lily… I’m sorry… I’m sorry I can’t be around to watch you grow up…” She cuddled her baby. “Mommy loves you, Lily… Mommy loves you so much…”

Earlier, surrounded by her sisters, Lily was too busy welcoming her sisters’ attention to pay them themselves much mind. Now, however, she sensed how upset her mother was – and it made her upset, too. She reached up, and lightly stroked her mother’s face.

_“Mama…?”_

Mrs. Loud’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped several beats. Losing control, she hugged Lily tightly, crying openly. Lily closed her arms around her mother’s neck, trying to make her feel better.

_“I don’t want to let go…”_ Mrs. Loud said.

Just then, Mr. Loud came back in. Seeing him, Mrs. Loud gathered up all her strength, and pushed Lily into his arms.

Lily reached out to her mother, unhappy to be separated from her. _“Mama! Mama!”_

“I’m sorry, Lily,” said Mr. Loud, “but Mama has to go away for a while.”

Lily didn’t understand. Why did her mommy have to go? Where was she going? When was she coming back? Were her sisters going, too? _Why?_ Distraught, she buried her face in her father’s shirt.

Next, it was Mr. Loud’s turn. Seeing as their mother had not yet recovered, the girls went first. Father and daughters stared at each other for the longest time. Then, the girls surrounded Mr. Loud, hugging him all at once.

_“Goodbye, Daddy…”_ they all said – even the older ones.

Taking short, shuddering breaths, Mr. Loud hugged as many of the girls back as he could. “Oh, girls… I-I wish there was more I could do for you…”

The girls hugged him tighter, sobbing. They forgave him – if it only meant that they didn’t have to go, they would have forgiven everything.

Mr. Loud closed his eyes. “I love you, girls…”

_“We love you too, Daddy.”_

Reluctantly, the girls separated from Mr. Loud. Mrs. Loud, now having recomposed herself, walked up to her husband.

“Well… this is it…” she said.

Mr. Loud placed a hand on her shoulder. “I promise, I’ll call, or do video chat, or whatever I can, whenever I can. Every day, hopefully.”

Mrs. Loud nodded gratefully, and kissed him. “As long as we hear from you…”

Mr. Loud embraced her tightly. “No matter how long we’re apart, I will _always_ love you, Rita.”

Mrs. Loud squeezed him back. “And I’ll always love you, Lynn.”

The two of them maintained the hug for a minute longer, then pulled apart.

Finally, it was the pets’ turn. Mr. Loud called Charles, Cliff, Walt, and Geo into the living room, and tempted with the promise of treats and attention, the pets put on one last show of their tricks for the girls. The girls cheered, petted the pets, and cooed lovingly, but nothing could distract them from the fact that they would be leaving their only remaining friends behind.

“I…” Lana sniffled. “I’m really gonna miss you guys…”

The other girls, sharing the same sentiments, said their sad goodbyes to the pets. Charles whined, Cliff mewled, and even Walt seemed to drop his angry expression.

The atmosphere was so thick with sorrow, even the pets could read it.

And with that, it was over. There was nothing left for the Loud girls to do but leave. There was a moment of hesitation among them – and that moment of hesitation, allowing her to see the misery in her sisters’ eyes and faces, was all Lynn needed to make a decision. She couldn’t take this sitting down.

She had to make a stand.

“Well…” Mrs. Loud said, “all right, girls… let’s go –”

_“NO!”_

The other sisters and their parents all jumped. Lynn stepped forward, away from the crowd. “We _can’t_ leave! Not _now!”_

Mrs. Loud sighed. “Lynn, how many times do we have to go over this –?”

“Mom, _please!_ Just… hear me out, alright?!”

Mrs. Loud stared hard at Lynn, then shook her head in exasperation. “Fine. But you’re not changing our minds.”

Lynn fidgeted, trying to formulate her argument. “O-Okay, Mom...? Um, T-this might sound bad, but… I was up late last night, and… I heard Lincoln… _talking to himself.”_

Mrs. Loud gaped. _“What?!”_

Mr. Loud shook his head sadly. “We need to get him some help, _soon…”_

“E- _Exactly!_ Mom, _we_ can help! We can help him!”

“Oh, _no,_ honey!” Mrs. Loud said. “You and your sisters are the _last_ people Lincoln wants to see right now!”

Lynn flinched – she knew that, but it stung even harder now than it ever did before. “B-But _Mom,_ we can help! He _needs_ us! And… and we need him, too!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Mom, _look at us!_ We’re at each other’s _throats!_ Lincoln always helped us understand each other, and-and make up, and… and-and-and that’s what we need him to do now!”

“Lynn, Lincoln is in _no_ state to help _you,_ or _anybody!”_

“But how are we supposed to make up?!”

“I guess you’ll just have to change your attitudes!” Mrs. Loud huffed. “Okay, Lynn, you’ve made your argument, and I’m not convinced. Come on; we’re going.”

“But _Mom –!”_

“No _‘but’s!”_

“I _can’t!”_

“You _can,_ and you _will!”_

_“I don’t want to!”_

“I know, but that’s _too bad!”_

_“We need him!”_

_“No, you don’t!”_

_“Mom, you don’t understand!”_

_“Lynn Jr. –!”_

_“Mom, I LOVE HIM!”_

_“I –”_ Mrs. Loud paused, taken aback by Lynn’s last comment, but shook her head and continued. “I _know_ you do, sweetie, I do too. But –”

_“No,_ Mom!” Lynn shouted. “You don’t understand!”

Luna realized what Lynn was going to say. “Lynn, _don’t –!”_

_“SHUT UP! You SHUT UP! She needs to know!”_ Lynn panted, tears welling in her eyes.

“Know… _what?”_ Mrs. Loud asked.

Lynn turned back to her mother “Mom, I…” She gulped. “I love him. As… As more than just a brother. I… _I love him.”_

Mr. and Mrs. Loud stared at Lynn, mouth agape. They couldn’t believe what they had just heard. One of their daughters… had just confessed to being in love with her brother.

For a full minute, no-one said a word. Then, almost in a daze, Mrs. Loud managed to say, “…What…?”

Hearing his wife speak up allowed Mr. Loud to speak up as well. “Lynn, you…” He gulped, trying to get the words out. “I… I just can’t believe I’m hearing this… You… You _love_ Lincoln? You’re… You’re _in love_ with him?”

Lynn nodded sadly. “And… And it’s not just me… _All_ of us…”

Mr. and Mrs. Loud didn’t think anything could shock them more than what they had just heard, but they were wrong. Horrified, they looked at the rest of their daughters, whose ashamed, guilty looks told them everything they needed to know.

“My God…” Mr. Loud said, “the _pheromone!_ I-It’s still in the house! Oh, God, I should have known, Lincoln’s been all over the house this past –”

Lynn quickly shook her head. “No, no, it’s _not_ the pheromone! Trust us, we’ve checked!”

The parents looked back at the girls, who all nodded in confirmation.

“These feelings we have for him… They’re _real._ And, and we knew they were wrong, so that’s why we pushed them down. But, but with everything that’s happened… We just can’t deny them anymore. That’s why…” Lynn took a deep breath. “That’s why we can’t leave. I-I don’t know what we’ll do without him… Mom… we _need_ Lincoln. We…” She sank to her knees. _“We need him.”_

Mrs. Loud was completely dumbstruck. Her mind was drawing a complete blank. Without a clue of what to do in this situation, she turned helplessly to her husband. Unfortunately, there was hardly any help he could give.

“I… I can’t…” Mr. Loud shook his head slowly, at a complete loss. “I… _I just can’t keep doing this…”_

Mrs. Loud walked over to her husband. “Kids,” she said weakly, “your father and I will be right back…”

The two of them headed into the kitchen, where the girls heard them talking in hushed, panicked tones. Luna stormed over to Lynn and pinned her to the wall.

_“You IDIOT!”_ Luna hissed. _“Do you have any idea what you just DID?!”_

_“I had to do SOMETHING!”_ Lynn responded.

_“Not only have you not helped your case, you’ve just made things worse for ALL of us!”_ Luna gritted her teeth. _“I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen now…”_

A quarter of an hour passed. At last, Mr. and Mrs. Loud came back, looking serious. Mrs. Loud turned to Lynn.

“So… this is how you _really_ feel?” she asked.

Lynn nodded. “Yes, Mom. I… I love Lincoln. _And I’m not leaving him.”_

Mrs. Loud sighed. She walked over to Lynn and kneeled down to her level, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking her square in the eyes.

“…That’s exactly why you _have_ to leave him, honey.”

“Mom, _please –!”_

“Lynn, _listen to me!”_ Mrs. Loud grabbed Lynn and started shaking her, almost in hysterics. “This is _not right,_ you hear me?! It is _not right_ to feel this way about your brother! That’s why you are _going_. You _will_ leave with the rest of us, and you _will_ get over these feelings, _far away from here!_ Do you understand?”

“But Mom –”

_“I said, ‘do you understand’?!”_

_“No!”_

Mrs. Loud’s face contorted into a frightening snarl. “Lynn. Loud. Jr. I have _never_ struck _any_ of my children in my entire _life. But if you do not do as I say in this matter, then SO HELP ME…!”_

Mrs. Loud prepared to raise a hand to her rebellious daughter, who cringed in fear, but Luna grabbed her wrist.

“O-Okay, Mom, okay!” Luna said quickly. “You’ve made your point. She gets it.” She glared at Lynn. _“Don’t you?”_

Lynn panted, seriously afraid for the first time in a long time. “Uh… Uh-huh…”

Mrs. Loud pulled her wrist out of Luna’s grip, and she stood up, still scowling. Then, she closed her eyes, hung her head, and let out a long, shuddering sigh. She wearily pointed at the front door.

“Outside. Now.”

The girls all grabbed their luggage and obeyed. As Lynn was about to join her other sisters, she noticed that someone was missing.

“Hey… where’s Lisa?” she asked.

“Huh?” Mrs. Loud scanned the crowd, and realized that Lisa was indeed not there. _“Oh…!”_ She marched to the foot of the stairs. _“Lisa! Come on, we’re leaving!”_

There was no response.

_“Lisa! Did you hear me?! Get down here right now!”_

Still no response. Just then, Lynn got one last-ditch idea.

“Um… hang on, Mom. I’ll go get her,” she said, then ran up the stairs.

Luna knew exactly what she was up to. “Oh, no… Mom, stay here, we’ll get her. Come on, dudes.”

Luna led her sisters upstairs, where they found Lynn in her room.

“Lynn, don’t you know when to – _WHOA?!”_

All of the sisters yelped and jumped back when they saw Lynn brandish her baseball bat. _“Don’t come any closer,”_ she said shakily.

“L-L-Lynn,” Leni said, “you’re scaring us…”

Lynn just stood there, holding her bat above her head, breathing heavily. She was on her last legs, and Luna knew it. She stepped forward.

_“Stop…!”_

“Lynn…” Luna said, “…do you _really_ want to hurt me?”

Lynn gasped. The tears started escaping from her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. She started shaking even harder.

Luna held out her hand, asking for the bat. After a moment of hesitation, Lynn gave in and handed it to her, crushed. Luna put a hand on her shoulder.

“Lynn... it’s _over.”_

Lynn cupped her face in her hands and cried. She had lost. Nothing she could do could ever change her or the others’ situation, least of all for the better.

Luna was right. It was over.

_“Oh… God…”_ Lynn sobbed.

To everyone’s surprise, a nasally, confident chuckle arose from the hallway. The crowd parted, to reveal Lisa standing there. Still chuckling, she waltzed into the room.

“‘God’? _‘God’?_ The only ‘god’ _I_ believe in… is _h_ the one out of the mac _h_ ine.”

The girls all stared at her, confused. _“Huh…?”_

Lisa turned to face them, a smile on her face.

“S _h_ iblings _h_ _–_ _I have the sholution.”_


	13. Absolution Denied

The sisters all stared at Lisa, puzzled.

“Wh… _What?_ The _solution…?”_ Luna said.

Lisa held her smirk as she walked back through the crowd. “Follow me, pleas _h_ e.”

The girls parted to allow Lisa through, then followed her into the hallway. They stopped at the doorway leading into Lisa’s room, but Lisa beckoned them inside. The girls, thus invited, entered, seeing the inside of Lisa’s room for the first time in days. The air was stale, and smelled of coffee. Indeed, the water cooler in one corner of the room was half-filled with coffee. Papers and books lay in a disorganized clutter on Lisa’s desk.

And taking up nearly one-third of the space in the room… was a large machine and its extensions.

The machine was boxy, with its most distinguishing feature being what appeared to be a large subwoofer in the center of it. There were various switches and dials on the machine, as well as a monitor and keyboard for user interface. There was also a large generator attached to the machine, with a funnel leading into it, as well as what appeared to be a large battery on the side of the machine. And finally, there were a series of wires and cords of every shape and size leading from the machine out the window and up to the dish-like apparatus on the roof.

Lisa stood in front of the machine, facing her siblings. “What if I told you… that everything that has _h_ happened in the pas _h_ t month-and-a-half – the inc _h_ ident, and all the cons _h_ equenc _h_ es _h_ thereof – could all be made a bad dream?”

The girls began talking amongst themselves, confused but intrigued. With a proud flourish, Lisa indicated the machine. “S _h_ iblings _h_ , _behold:_ the ans _h_ wer to all of our current predicaments _h_.”

The girls all stared at the machine in wonder. Then, Luna shrugged and decided to ask the obvious question: “…What is it?”

Lisa patted the metallic side of the machine. “I call it the **M** ental **N** ullifier of **EMO** tional **S** _h_ **YNE** s _h_ thes _h_ ia Devic _h_ e, or the MNEMOS _h_ YNE Devic _h_ e for s _h_ ort. What it does _h_ is _h_ emit a s _h_ ubs _h_ onic s _h_ ound wave that targets _h_ s _h_ pec _h_ ific areas _h_ of the brain res _h_ pons _h_ ible for memory – the hippocampi, the amygdalae, the mamillary bodies _h_ , the medial temporal lobes _h_ – and deactivates _h_ the neurons _h_ that produc _h_ e the theta waves _h_ that compris _h_ e s _h_ pec _h_ ific memories _h_.” Lisa smirked as she watched her sisters struggle and fail to keep up with the flow of information before concluding, “S _h_ imply put, this _h_ is _h_ a mac _h_ ine that can make us _h_ forget.”

“Huh? Wait…” Lynn shook her head. “You mean… this thing… can _erase our memories?”_

“Well, not prec _h_ is _h_ ely. One cannot ‘eras _h_ e’ memories _h_ _per she_ – at leas _h_ t, not without doing permanent damage to the brain. What the MNEMOS _h_ YNE Devic _h_ e does _h_ is _repressh_ memories _h_. Thes _h_ e memories _h_ can be retrieved at a later date with a s _h_ ubs _h_ onic wave of a different frequenc _h_ y, which will reactivate the relevant neurons _h_ containing the memories _h_ , if one s _h_ o wis _h_ ed. What I propos _h_ e is _h_ that we us _h_ e the MNEMOS _h_ YNE Devic _h_ e to repress _h_ the memories _h_ of the inc _h_ ident and its _h_ aftermath, allowing us _h_ to return to a normal life, and pus _h_ ing our romantic feelings _h_ towards _h_ our brother back into our s _h_ ubconc _h_ ious _h_ minds _h_ , where they belong. Then, onc _h_ e we have all reached emotional maturity, and are better equipped to proc _h_ ess _h_ the mental and emotional trauma of the inc _h_ ident and our love for Lincoln, we will recover the memories _h_ and deal with them properly.”

The girls all gazed at Lisa in astonishment. They had given up. They thought that there was no way out of their situation. But now…

“That… _That…!”_ Luan turned to her sisters with a jubilant smile on her face. “That might actually _work!”_

Most of the girls squealed, embraced each other, and jumped for joy. But someone had to keep a level head, and once again, that someone was Luna.

“Wait, wait, _wait a second! Hold on!”_ Luna shouted the others down. She turned back to Lisa. “Say this thing works, and we forget everything. What about everyone else? They’ll all still remember what we did, and I’m sure they won’t hesitate to remind us!”

The other girls grumbled and groaned as Luna’s logic quashed their uplifted spirits, but Lisa wasn’t dismayed. “How right you are, third eldes _h_ t s _h_ ibling,” she said, nodding. She then pointed to the wires and cords leading out the window. “Which is _h_ why I als _h_ o intend to project the s _h_ ound wave across the entire _world,_ and repress _h_ the memories _h_ of the pas _h_ t month-and-a-half for everyone on the planet – jus _h_ t to be s _h_ afe, of cours _h_ e.”

 _“Wha –?! How – But – What –”_ Luna sputtered, before taking a deep breath. “…You can do that?!”

Lisa pointed to the battery and generator, then at the ceiling. “With the increas _h_ ed power output s _h_ upplied by my biofuel converter (powered by s _h_ amples _h_ provided by Lincoln, Lily, and mys _h_ elf) and the battery that it charged, as _h_ well as _h_ a global array of s _h_ atellites _h_ that I have arranged by calling in s _h_ ome favors _h_ from NAS _h_ A… _yesh.”_

The other girls began to murmur excitedly, their hope restored, but Luna still wasn’t satisfied. “But… hold on, won’t people realize that a month-and-a-half has passed, and they can’t remember anything from it?”

Lisa shrugged. “Yes _h_ , there will be s _h_ ome temporal diss _h_ onanc _h_ e, but only a few people will pay it any mind. And even when the fact that a month-and-a-half has _h_ pass _h_ ed is _h_ found out, mos _h_ t people will s _h_ imply change their calendars _h_ and go about their lives _h_. Human beings _h_ have an uncanny ability to ignore and acc _h_ ept anomalies _h_ in their lives _h_ , as _h_ long as _h_ they can retain s _h_ ome s _h_ emblanc _h_ e of normalc _h_ y.”

“How do you know that?” Lucy asked, roused from her complacency by Luna’s reasoning. “And for that matter, how do you know that this thing will work?”

“It works _h_. I’ve tes _h_ ted it,” Lisa said quickly.

“When?”

Lisa averted her gaze. “I _have._ It works _h_. _Trusht me.”_

She was hiding something. That much was obvious to Lucy. The young goth girl stepped forward and stared at her younger sister intently.

“Lisa… _look at me.”_

Lisa did not look at Lucy.

_“Lisa!”_

Slowly and very, _very_ reluctantly, Lisa looked at Lucy. Lucy was surprised by what she saw in Lisa’s eyes. It wasn’t the exhaustion or the emotional pain – she had guessed that – but the _physical_ pain.

Lucy rubbed her hands nervously. “Lisa… is there something you’re not telling us?”

Lisa gave a small gasp, and averted her gaze again. Then, quietly, she said, _“…No.”_

Lucy stepped closer to Lisa, close enough to whisper in her ear without the others hearing. _“Lisa… I’m worried about you…”_

Lisa closed her eyes, blinking back tears, before responding. _“Don’t be. None of it will matter shoon…”_ She cleared her throat, then turned to her other sisters. “As _h_ I was _h_ s _h_ aying, I have tes _h_ ted this _h_ mac _h_ ine previous _h_ ly, and I ass _h_ ure you, it works _h_ as _h_ intended.”

“Well, _jeez!”_ Lynn said. “What are we waiting for?! Let’s fire it up, already!”

The others all cheered in agreement – even Luna and Lucy, who allowed themselves to hope. Lisa looked at her wristwatch. “In approximately five minutes _h_ , the s _h_ atellites _h_ will be in pos _h_ ition. From then, we will have a five-minute window to activate the MNEMOS _h_ YNE Devic _h_ e – we only get one s _h_ ot at this _h_. The target areas _h_ of the brain and the memories _h_ to be repress _h_ ed have already been programmed – I will now begin powering up the Devic _h_ e.”

Lisa walked up to the side of the machine, which had three large switches among all the dials and meters. Lisa pulled the first switch, and the MNEMOSYNE Device came to life. The machine hummed and whirred, and the needles on the meters began to flicker. The Loud girls all held their breath in anticipation.

Just then, they heard their mother’s voice from downstairs. _“GIRLS! What’s taking so long?”_

The girls looked at each other, panicked. Lisa motioned for someone to go and speak to her, whispering _“Shtall her…”_

Lynn ran out the door to the head of the stairs, and faced her mother. “U-Um, don’t worry, Mom!” she called. “We’re, uh… just helping Lisa pack!”

 _“What?!_ She isn’t even packed?!” Mrs. Loud exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, Mom! We’re all helping her, so it’ll only take, like… five minutes, or so!” Laughing nervously, Lynn ran downstairs and grabbed her bag. “I’ve still got some space in my bag, so she can put her stuff in here!”

Mrs. Loud looked at Lynn skeptically as she dragged her bag upstairs. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Mom, don’t worry!” Lynn came back to the head of the stairs. “Be right back!”

She went back into Lisa’s room, lugging her luggage behind her. “Okay, that bought us a few minutes. Lisa, how’s it going?”

Lisa inspected the meters. _“Hmm…_ readings _h_ nominal, energy output s _h_ tabiliz _h_ ed…” She grabbed the second switch. “Time for more power.”

Lisa pulled the second switch, and the mechanical humming and whirring became louder, and the meters shot up higher.

The sisters continued to wait anxiously, until Leni spoke up. “Wait, so, like… shouldn’t we be helping Lisa pack?” she asked.

Lynn looked at her. “Wha…? No, Leni, that was just a ruse to buy us more time.”

“Wait – she’s got a point,” Lucy said. “That’s what Mom and Dad are expecting us to do now – and if they don’t hear us packing, they might get suspicious.”

Lynn sighed. “Okay, fine, everyone start packing.”

As Lisa continued to monitor the MNEMOSYNE Device, the other Loud girls scattered and began stuffing Lynn’s bag with a week’s worth of green turtlenecks and pink pants, while Lana ran to the bathroom to grab Lisa’s toothbrush. Lynn jumped on top of the bag to force it shut, then zipped it up.

Lynn turned back to Lisa. “Lisa?”

Lisa looked at her wristwatch. “One minute left… time for maximum power!”

She grabbed a nearby wastebasket, already filled with dirty diapers, and dumped its contents into the biofuel converter. The converter rumbled and shook as it converted the diapers’ renewable resources into electrical energy, and Lisa returned to the MNEMOSYNE Device and pulled the third and final switch.

The machine’s roars became almost deafening, and the needles shot to the far end of the meters and stayed there. Some of the girls tapped their feet or bounced their legs restlessly; others chewed their nails, or stared attentively at the machine. Lisa stood at the console, eyes riveted on her wristwatch, standing by.

And just as the five-minute window was about to open… Leni noticed something wrong.

“Hey… what’s that smell?” she asked.

The other girls sniffed the air. They figured it might have been the dirty diapers, but no, it smelled like something… _burning?_

Everyone looked at the MNEMOSYNE Device, and saw smoke starting to seep out from between the cracks and panels. Alarmed, Lisa began rapidly typing on the keyboard, but the monitor locked up. The humming and whirring became quieter and quieter, as the machine slowly powered down.

“No…! _No…!”_ Lisa rushed over to her desk and fished out a pair of gloves from the pile, which she put on before removing a panel from the MNEMOSYNE Device. A large puff of smoke greeted her, and after Lisa coughed and fanned away the smoke, she looked inside – and suddenly, her cool, stoic demeanor cracked, and she started pounding on the machine with her balled fists.

 _“No, no, no, no, NO! WHY?! It’sh not –! I didn’t –! NO! Pleashe…! Pleashe, no! PLEASHE! Don’t do thish to me! I… I was sho closhe…! Please…!”_ She fell to her knees, clutching her head and grimacing. _“Pleashe… Don’t… Pleashe… I… I CAN’T fail… Not again…”_

The others, disturbed by Lisa’s sudden outburst, turned to Luna for guidance. Luna crossed over to the sobbing Lisa and cradled her in her arms.

“Whoa, whoa, t-take it easy, Lis, it’s okay…” she said. “J-Just calm down, and-and tell us what the problem is…”

Lisa heaved, wiping her eyes and nose on her sleeve as she stood up. “S _h_ tupid… _Shtupid…!_ I s _h_ ould have known…! Des _h_ peration made me careless _h_ , and now…!” She sighed. “Of _courshe_ the MNEMOS _h_ YNE Devic _h_ e wasn’t equipped to handle s _h_ uch a mass _h_ ive energy output! S _h_ o, the mac _h_ ine overheated, and now the c _h_ ircuits _h_ are fried!”

“W-Well…” Lynn said, “I-I mean, there’s still time, right? You can fix it, can’t you?”

“In the next _five minutesh?!_ I’m a _geniush_ , Lynn, not a _miracle worker!”_

The girls cried out in utter despair. They had one chance, just _one chance,_ to pull this off, and they blew it.

“S… So, that’s it, then?” Lynn said shakily. “That’s the end of it? You… You can’t just… _fix it,_ and try again later?”

Lisa adjusted her glasses and gritted her teeth. “Well, I _could_ repair and replac _h_ e the damaged c _h_ ircuits _h_ , but I need time. I _could_ ins _h_ tall ins _h_ ulation and a coolant s _h_ ys _h_ tem, but I need _time._ And I _could_ draw up s _h_ chematics _h_ for new technology to bribe NAS _h_ A with in order to create another s _h_ atellite array, but I _need… more… time…!”_ She punctuated each word with a bang of her head against the metal side of the machine.

“How… how much time?” Luan asked.

Lisa shook her head. “…A _week,_ at leas _h_ t.”

The siblings all looked at each other despondently. They all knew that asking their parents for a week’s reprieve was completely out of the question.

“We…” Lynn stomped her foot. “We… We still have to _try!”_

“Lynn, _get real!”_ Luna said. _“None_ of us will _ever_ be able to convince Mom and Dad to let us stay – especially not after that stunt you pulled!”

“But…! _But…! Oh…!”_ Lynn choked. She knew Luna was right. She hated her for it, but she knew she was right.

“What… What are we going to do…?” Lana asked.

The girls fell silent, desperately grasping for an answer. Then, Lucy perked up.

“You guys… there is _one_ person that Mom and Dad will listen to…”

The others looked at her, wondering who that person could be, until they realized that there was only one possible candidate.

Luna shook her head. “Dudes… he’ll never go for it…”

Lucy shrugged. “We have to try…”

(…)

One by one, the girls came out of Lisa’s bedroom while Lisa stayed behind to repair what damage she could. As they came into the hallway, they heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Girls?” Mrs. Loud called. “Are you done yet?”

Thinking quickly, Leni rushed up and met her mother at the head of the stairs. “U-Um, _yeah_ , Mom! We’re done!”

“All right, good.” Mrs. Loud jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Now let’s go.”

“W- _Wait!”_ Leni cried.

Mrs. Loud put her hands on her hips. _“What?”_

Leni flinched as her mother’s gaze pierced through her. “U-Um, Mom, do… do you mind if… if…” She gestured towards the others. “I mean… can we say goodbye to Lincoln?”

 _“No._ Absolutely not.”

“Wha –?! But _Mom –!”_

_“I said ‘no’, young lady!”_

“Honey, please,” Mr. Loud called from downstairs, “it’s not much they’re asking for –”

 _“I’m not going to feed into their obsession!”_ Mrs. Loud shouted back.

 _“Rita!_ Think about this! This is the last time the girls will ever see Lincoln for months, years, _ever,_ who knows?! Can’t you just let them have this? For _me?”_

Mrs. Loud looked into her husband’s pleading eyes, then growled exasperatedly and folded her arms. _“Fine.”_ She turned to her daughters. “You have five minutes.”

“U-Um, Mom…” said Lynn, “that’s not really enough time for _all_ of us to –”

 _“Five minutes.”_ And with that, Mrs. Loud turned and went back down the stairs to give the girls some privacy, counting down the seconds until their time was up.

The sisters all exchanged one anxious look, then crowded towards the end of the hall. Luna managed to end up at the front of the pack, and she stretched her arms out, stopping her sisters from advancing any further.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, _whoa! HEY! Hold up!”_ Luna called out. The others didn’t like it, but they still obeyed her. “Look, dudes, we don’t want to scare him again. And we can’t get the message across if we’re all shouting over each other. So, I think only one of us should talk to him, and try to convince him to talk to Mom and Dad and ask them to let us stay. Now, I know you all want to be the one to talk to him, but think about it, dudes – who’s the most persuasive out of all of us?”

The sisters looked at each other. Lynn was briefly considered, but as her track record was recalled, she was cast aside. Luna herself was also considered, but too many wondered if she really could reach out to Lincoln. For one tense minute, the girls deliberated and scrutinized the best candidate out of all of them, but no-one came to mind.

Then, thoughtlessly, Lana said out loud, “Well, Leni’s nice…”

That comment helped almost everyone come to a decision immediately. With the exception of Lynn, everyone was asking Leni to speak to Lincoln on their behalf.

“Wait, wait, hold on – _Leni?”_ Lynn said. “Look, guys, I know she’s nice, but she’s also kinda, uh…”

Leni folded her arms. “I may not know a lot of things, Lynn, but I _do_ know that I care about Lincoln.”

 _“Ah –!_ O-Okay, you’re right, Leni. Sorry.” Lynn shrank into the crowd.

It was decided – Leni would be the one to speak to Lincoln. As she stepped away from the crowd, Luna came up beside her.

“Okay, Leni,” Luna said, “let’s not kid ourselves – this is one heck of a long shot. But Lucy’s right – we have to try. So _try_ – try as hard as you can!”

Leni nodded determinedly. “Okay!”

Luna retreated into the crowd, leaving Leni to approach Lincoln’s door. Apprehension filled Leni’s body and mind, and she looked to her sisters for support. With their silent encouragements behind her, she took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

“…Lincoln?” she said as gently as possible.

There was no answer from within.

Though disheartened by the lack of a response, Leni forged onwards. “Okay, Lincoln, listen… I don’t have a lot of time, so I have to make this quick. Lisa… she built a machine that can make us forget. Do you get it? Lincoln, we can forget this all ever happened. We can go back to the way things used to be – back to being a _family._ We just need more time. Lincoln… you’re the only one who can convince Mom and Dad to let us stay here. Please… just give us one more chance to show you how sorry we are…”

She paused, awaiting his response. But no response came.

Leni sighed. “Okay, Lincoln, I get it – you have no reason to believe me, or _any_ of us. But… But… Oh, gosh, I just don’t know what to say other than it’s _true._ I _swear_ , I’m not lying. _Please,_ Lincoln, please… you _have_ to believe me…”

Once again, she listened intently. But not a sound came from the other side of the door.

Leni began to cry. “Lincoln, _talk to me._ I don’t care what you say, just _say something, ANYTHING!”_

She pressed her ear against the wood. There was an almost deathly silence in Lincoln’s room.

Leni clasped her hands together tightly and prostrated herself before the door. “Please, Lincoln… _Please…_ _I’m begging you…_ Give us another chance… That’s all we’re asking for, _one more chance…! We can help you – we WANT to help you! PLEASE, Lincoln! Don’t… Don’t let them… Don’t let them send us away…”_

Leni’s heart-wrenching pleas touched her sisters, who began to break down alongside her.

But there was still no response from Lincoln’s room.

At that moment, Lisa came out of her room. She was crying inconsolably, her wristwatch beeping. The five-minute window had passed, and closed. Leni looked at Lisa’s face, and saw that she had given up.

Lisa… had given up.

And Leni thought, if _Lisa,_ a _genius_ , knew that she couldn’t do anything in this situation, then what could _she_ , an _idiot,_ do?

It was also at that moment that Mrs. Loud came back up the stairs. “Okay, girls,” she said, “come on. Wrap it up.”

Leni looked at her other sisters helplessly, and they stared right back at her. They had trusted her to do this, voted her the most capable… and she had failed them.

Head hung low, Leni turned back to Lincoln’s room, lightly grazing her fingers against the door. “Okay, Lincoln… All right… I understand… We all do… We have to go now, Lincoln. And… And we don’t know when we’ll be back. We… We don’t know _if_ we’ll be back. Just…” She sniffled. “Just know that, no matter what… we’re _sorry._ We’re _so, so sorry…_ ” She looked at her sisters again (Lisa now having joined the group). “Not just for… _that…_ for _everything._ We… We never appreciated the things you did for us, Lincoln… W-We never appreciated _you._ You were always so kind, so thoughtful, so caring…” She gulped.

“And… And that’s what made us fall in love with you.”

Mrs. Loud started. _“Leni!”_

 _“He has a right to know, Mom!_ He has a right to know… how we really feel about him…” Leni turned back to Lincoln’s room again, and shook her head. “Lincoln… we love you. As… Not just as a brother… Lincoln… this isn’t your fault. It’s _ours._ If we didn’t feel this way about you… Lincoln… _we’re sorry._ We’re complete failures as sisters… and… and you…” She gasped and choked. _“You were the best brother in the whole world…”_

The girls gave in to their emotions, falling to the floor, bawling and sobbing. Mrs. Loud allowed them to cry for a few minutes more, then walked up and placed a hand on Leni’s shoulder.

“Sweetie,” Mrs. Loud said, “I’m sorry, but… the longer you drag this out, the harder it’ll be to go…”

Leni fought to regain control of herself, then, whimpering, dried her eyes as best she could and nodded. Turning to Lincoln’s room one last time, she laid both her hands flat on the door, leaned in… and gave it a kiss.

Then, she rested her forehead against the door, and, in a heartbreaking whisper, said:

_“Goodbye, Lincoln.”_

One by one, the other sisters lined up and said goodbye to their only brother, as well. Mrs. Loud came last, having reflected on how she had never even attempted to make things right with her son, and placed one hand on the door, tearfully whispering, _“Goodbye, my beautiful baby boy…”_

Then, Mrs. Loud dried her tears, and put on a brave face for her daughters. “All right, girls… _time to go.”_

Mrs. Loud and her daughters all trudged down the stairs (while Lisa briefly separated from them to retrieve her little green book) and collected their stuff. Just as they were all about to leave, however, Lola ran over to the fireplace and fetched the family photo hanging above it.

“Lola –?” Mrs. Loud said.

“H-Hold on a minute, Mommy! I’ll be right back, I promise!”

Lola ran up the stairs, taking the picture out of the frame along the way, and slipped the picture under Lincoln’s door.

“J-Just so you don’t forget about us, Lincoln – the _real_ us…”

Lola immediately picked herself up off the floor after that, and headed right back downstairs. Mrs. Loud and the girls said goodbye to Mr. Loud and Lily one last time, then finally headed out the front door, dragging their bags behind them.

Mrs. Loud woke Great-Aunt Ruth, who had dozed off in the driver’s seat, and they began to load the bags into the trunk and lash them to the roof of the car. As she watched them do so, Lynn heard something she hadn’t heard in a long time, and hadn’t expected to in a long time, if ever again: Luan’s laugh.

Seriously perplexed, Lynn walked up to Luan and asked, “What’s so funny…?”

Luan came down from her laughing fit. _“Ah… Aha… Hah…_ Oh… it’s nothing. I just remembered, it’s April Fools’ Day today…”

“Oh, really?” Lynn realized that she had lost track of the date. “Huh… So, I guess no pranks this year, huh?”

“Are you kidding? This year has been the same as every year – only now, the joke’s on _all_ of us!”

Lynn tilted her head at Luan. _“Huh?”_

“Don’t you get it? Everything, _everything_ before this point – the incident, staying at the police station, the trial, everything at home, everything at school, _everything_ – has just been the setup, leading to _this_ , the punchline.” Smiling sadly, Luan looked up at the sky, as though there were unseen eyes watching her story unfold, enjoying her suffering.

“They gave us hope… and then they took it away.” She shook her head and chuckled bitterly, her eyes glistening. _“Best April Fools’ prank EVER…”_

Mrs. Loud and Great-Aunt Ruth finished loading the bags. As Great-Aunt Ruth returned to the driver’s seat, Mrs. Loud came to the passenger seat, and called Luan and Lynn to the car.

 _“Coming, Mom!”_ Luan said with a smile, waltzing to the car with a sardonic spring in her step. Feeling confused and disheartened, Lynn followed her.

Mr. Loud and Lily watched the car drive away. Lily knew that the car was carrying away her mommy and her sisters… and she had a feeling that she wouldn’t see them again for a long time – maybe even _forever._ She started crying, and Mr. Loud comforted her.

“Yeah,” he said, “I know how you feel, sweetie.”

Mr. Loud brought his infant daughter inside and upstairs, to Lincoln’s room. Knowing that her brother was nearby, Lily’s crying faded into sniveling. Mr. Loud knocked on the door.

“Lincoln?” he called. “It’s over… they’re gone now.”

Lincoln didn’t respond. Mr. Loud leaned in close.

“Lincoln?”

There was no answer.

Mr. Loud sighed. He felt so _helpless_ – so _helpless_ to help his son. All he could do was sit, and wait, and hope Lincoln would feel good enough to talk about his feelings soon. And there was still that therapist’s appointment that Clyde was setting up.

All he could do… was hope for things to get better.

Mr. Loud left his son alone, and went to Lori and Leni’s former room to sing Lily to sleep…

(…)

The Loud girls rode in silence. Nothing was there to be said. Nothing needed to be said. No-one wanted to talk.

The Loud girls rode in silence. The road stretched ever onward, towards an uncertain future for all of them.

The Loud girls rode in silence. They would have to adjust to a new life – a life without their house, their pets, their father… their brother.

The Loud girls rode in silence. It was over. They had lost.

Eventually, the silence started to nag Lynn. She looked around for someone to talk to, but none of her sisters looked to be in the mood to talk – but there was one sister she felt she needed to talk to.

“Hey, Lisa?” Lynn said quietly. No-one else seemed to hear her.

Lisa turned her gaze away from the window and towards Lynn.

“Were you… working on that machine the whole time?”

Lisa nodded.

“Oh.” She hesitated. “Um… I… I’m sorry, Lisa. I didn’t know… that you were trying to make things right, too…”

Lisa shook her head. “That’s _h_ quite alright. It’s _h_ not as _h_ if my endeavors _h_ were well… _known…”_ Suddenly, Lisa shut her eyes tight, clenched her teeth, and massaged her temples.

“You okay?” Lynn asked.

After a while, Lisa’s features relaxed, and she answered, “…Fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Lynn didn’t believe that, but didn’t feel like pressing the issue. “…All right.” She sighed angrily. “Still… what a waste, though, huh? To go through all that effort, and have it all be for _nothing…”_

“It was _h_ due to c _h_ ircums _h_ tanc _h_ es _h_ outs _h_ ide of my control. No-one… No-one can predict the future…” With trembling hands, she reached down and picked up the little green book in her lap. She took a shuddering breath, and then, without much conviction, said:

_“I guessh… I’ll jusht have to… try again…”_


	14. Family Reunion

Lincoln Loud took a deep breath. It was good to be alive.

That’s what the doctors told him to tell himself. Think positive, they said; life is a precious gift that should not be squandered. Focus on the good things in life. He had a loving family, was in a healthy relationship, and was seen as an equal at school – no longer something deserving pity, but someone deserving the same level of respect as anyone else. He had a family, he had friends, he had a future, and he had his life.

Lincoln sighed contentedly. It _was_ good to be alive.

Lincoln stretched out on his bed, enjoying the silence. Silence had been one thing he never had when his… when he was a kid, and so it felt unfamiliar and frightening to him after… at first. Now, however, he welcomed it, as it offered him freedom from all the mem… _stresses_ and frustrations of everyday life. That was not to say that Lincoln hated noise – in fact, his happy place was full of noise. He simply enjoyed the silence more now than he ever did before.

Lincoln sat up. The room was starting to feel stuffy. He stood up, walked over to the window, and opened it. He shivered momentarily as the cold air blew past him, but then breathed it in, finding it bracing. He stuck his head out the window, taking in the dazzling whiteness all around him.  The holidays were approaching, and that meant spending time with friends and family in a spirit of brotherhood and charity – and best of all, presents! Lincoln was especially looking forward to this year’s Christmas – he had a feeling that it would be a very special one.

A boy about Lincoln’s age with black hair, a white T-shirt, and faded blue jeans came into the room. “Hey, Lincoln…” He felt the air in the room and shivered. _“Brrr…_ cold…”

“Huh? Oh, sorry, Terry,” Lincoln said. “Guess I’ve aired out the room enough…” He closed the window and sat back down on the bed. “So, what’s up?”

“Could you come downstairs? Your dad has something important he wants to ask you.”

Lincoln cocked his eyebrow. “‘Important’?”

“Yeah.”

Lincoln stood up. “Okay…”

As Lincoln walked downstairs with Terry, his mind began churning curiously. What was going on? What did his father want to talk to him about?

The two of them came into the dining room, where Mr. Loud sat at the far end of the table, with Lily seated to his left. Lincoln took a dismal look at his father. Due to a combination of tragic circumstances and poor decisions, Lynn Loud, Sr. had not aged well – he was now completely bald, with skin wrinkled like broken glass. He had a noticeable gut. His eyes were dull, tired – they had lost the warmth and drive they had in Lincoln’s youth. He looked much better than he used to, but Lincoln could tell that he was still on the long road to recovery.

Meanwhile Lily, rocking excitedly in her seat, was the very picture of youth. Her platinum blonde hair, done up with a hairclip shaped like a cherry, bounced along with her, and her skin glowed with health. Her slender body fit neatly into her lavender dress, and her eyes shimmered with the same energy and optimism that Lincoln had remembered them having even when she was just a baby. For all of Mr. Loud’s mistakes, he had taken care to raise Lily right, and for that, Lincoln could forgive him anything.

Mr. Loud closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Terry sat down to his right. “Lincoln,” he said solemnly, “sit down.”

Feeling apprehensive, Lincoln did so at the near end of the table.

Mr. Loud looked at Terry, who nodded in encouragement. Taking another deep breath, Mr. Loud began, “Now, Lincoln, it’s been six years, now, and you’ve made a lot of progress. Heck, I’d go so far as to say that you’re almost back to your old self. Actually, we’ve _all_ made a lot of progress over these past few years, and now… well, we feel like a real _family_ now, you know? So, Terry and I –”

“Come on, Linky!” Lily interjected. “Just _do it! Pleeeeeease?”_

Lincoln, Terry, and Mr. Loud all shared a chuckle, cutting the tension in the air. “Lily,” Terry said, “why don’t you let your daddy finish what he has to say before adding anything, okay?”

_“Ooooh,_ but I just can’t wait! I’m so _excited!”_ Lily bounced in her seat enthusiastically.

The men of the house chuckled again, then Lincoln asked, “Okay, so what’s this about, Dad?”

Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “Well, son, Terry and I have been talking, and we think you’re ready. However, it’s still up to you to decide if you are, too.”

“Ready for what?”

Mr. Loud shared a look with Terry, then leaned forward.

“Son… we want to bring your mother and your sisters home.”

Lily cheered, but time seemed to freeze for Lincoln. His… His… His… _Them?_ Come home? Come _here?_ With him? For just a moment, all the therapy sessions seemed to fly out the window. Lincoln’s chest tightened, and he could feel himself hyperventilating. He closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and tried to go to his happy place. As he envisioned it, he felt that gentle, familiar warmth spread inside him, and his heart stopped racing. When he felt calm again, he opened his eyes and saw his family staring at him, concerned.

Mr. Loud sighed. “Maybe I should have phrased that a little differently. You see, Lincoln, I’m not suggesting your mother and sisters come home to _stay._ I’m just saying that they should visit Royal Woods for a few days – spend Christmas with the _whole_ family. If you’re ready to handle them again, _great._ If you’re not, well, then you’re _not._ We want to know what _you_ think.”

Lincoln looked down at the table. “So… it’s up to _me…?”_

Terry nodded. “Yes, Lincoln. It’s up to you.”

Lily stood on her chair. “Oh, _please,_ Linky, _PLEASE say yes!_ Oh, I’ve heard so much about them – I love them already, and I’ve never even met them! _Please,_ Linky, I want to meet them _so bad!”_

Lincoln, Terry, and Mr. Loud all looked at Lily sternly. This was a serious matter – she needed to understand that. “Lily,” Mr. Loud said, quietly but firmly, “you don’t understand how difficult this decision is for Lincoln. So please sit down and let _him_ decide for himself.”

Lily looked at Mr. Loud, surprised at how serious he was. Chastened, she sat down. Terry and Mr. Loud’s eyes returned to Lincoln.

Lincoln drummed his fingers on the table softly. “U-Um… I… _I…”_

Mr. Loud held his hand up. “We understand that you don’t have an answer right now, so we’re not going to ask for one, either. Take some time, think it over, and when you’re ready, tell us. But just know that we need an answer within the week.”

Lincoln sat where he was, looking lost. Mr. Loud cleared his throat.

“…You can go now, Lincoln.”

(…)

When Lily checked in on Lincoln later, she found him sitting in his beanbag chair, playing a video game.

“Linky?” Lily said.

Lincoln didn’t look away from the screen. “What?”

“Can I talk to you?”

Lincoln patted his lap, inviting Lily to sit down. Lily entered the room and sat on Lincoln’s lap, resting her head against her shoulder.

“What’s up, Lily?” Lincoln asked.

Lily fidgeted. “Um… h-have you, um… decided yet?”

“Decided what?”

“You know – about our sisters…”

“Oh – I’m still thinking about it.”

Lily looked up at him. “You don’t _look_ like you’re thinking about it.”

“I…” Lincoln paused. He _wasn’t_ thinking about it. “Well, it’s a figure of speech, Lily.”

“Well, are you thinking about it or not?”

Lincoln didn’t answer, instead opting to look back at the TV screen and resume playing his game.

“…Guess that’s a ‘not’, then.” Lily sighed, then pounded her fists in her lap. “Linky, _why_ is it so hard? To decide, you know? They’re our _sisters,_ Linky!”

Lincoln sighed, shaking his head. “…You wouldn’t understand, Lily.”

Lily pouted. “Everyone keeps telling me that! Why wouldn’t I understand?!”

“You’re too young.”

“I am _not!”_

“You are _so!_ Lily, you’re smart. You might know about it a little, but you don’t know _everything_ about it – and you shouldn’t until you’re older.”

Lily shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “But what _is_ ‘it’?! I don’t get it! _Why won’t anyone explain it to me?!”_

“Because you’re too young.”

Lily bit her lower lip, quavering. Then, she gritted her teeth, pounded on Lincoln’s chest, and yelled, _“FINE!”_

Lily jumped off of Lincoln’s chest and made for the door. Lincoln sighed again, pausing the game and getting up. “Lily, _wait!”_

Lily stopped, although she continued to face away from Lincoln, trembling. “I… I…”

Lincoln stepped closer. “Lily…”

Lily turned to face her brother, tears streaming down her face.

_“I just want to see them, Linky…”_

Lincoln knelt and embraced Lily, who cried on his shoulder. _“Shhh… Shhh…”_ Lincoln crooned. “There, there, Lily, don’t cry. Don’t cry.” He pulled back and looked at her. “I’ll think about it, okay? And I’ll think about what _you_ want, too.”

Lily sniffled, drying her tears. “…You promise?”

“I promise.”

Lily smiled, then threw her arms around Lincoln’s neck. _“…Thanks, Linky.”_

Lincoln wrapped his arms around Lily’s narrow waist. “Sure.”

The two siblings remained in that embrace for a short while longer, then Lily released Lincoln and prepared to go. Before she left, however, she turned around while standing in the doorway. “Um, Linky?” she said. “Could you please not tell Dad about this? I know what he said earlier, and I don’t want him to think I, like, pressured you, or anything…”

Lincoln nodded. “I won’t tell.”

“Thanks, big brother.” Lily closed the door.

Lincoln stood watching the door for a few moments, then snapped back to reality. Realizing that the game was only a distraction, he saved it and switched the system off. So, it wasn’t all about him. There were Lily’s desires to consider. Could he really deny her a chance to finally meet her… the rest of her family? It would be unfair, but still… _them._ Coming _here._ Could he handle that? Terry and his father certainly thought so, or else they never would have suggested it to him, but what about _him?_ What did _he_ want? As he paced the floor, thinking about it, he found himself grateful for the size of his room. He had initially hated having to leave his old room – the one that had returned to being used as a linen closet – but it was getting too small for him, and the only rooms available to him were the ones that used to belong to… _not him._

Lincoln shook his head. What was he saying? They used to belong to his _sisters. Sis. Ters._ It wasn’t that hard to say. Lily was his sister, and he was perfectly comfortable with calling her that. What about the others? Once, he had thought the same about them as he did about Lily now, but… what about _now?_

His pacing brought him to the closet. Just as he was about to turn around, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. The closet door was open just a crack. Lincoln tentatively grabbed it and slowly opened it all the way.

There, sitting on the top shelf, were Bun-Bun and ScissoRobo Z.

Lincoln remembered the two of them – all the discussions they had. What did his doctors call them? “Manifestations of his psyche”? That basically meant that they were his thoughts talking back to him. Well, Lincoln certainly could use some of that now, he thought, seeing as how he didn’t even know the nature of his own feelings. But then he thought about how the doctors had told him that it was an unhealthy substitute for actual human interaction and all the things the two of them had tried to pressure him into doing.

Lincoln closed his eyes and slowly shook his head at his former toys. “…No. I’m done talking to you two.”

Lincoln closed the door to his closet and resumed pacing. This was something he had to decide himself. But the day wore on, and he continued to deliberate and dither. Eventually, all the thinking started to stress him out. He sat down in his beanbag chair with his head hung low, mentally chanting _Happy place, happy place…_

Lincoln stopped. Slowly, he raised his head to stare ahead at the blank screen of the TV.

_“…Happy place…”_

(…)

The next morning was a weekend, so Lincoln slept in. When he woke up, it was past noon. He got out of bed and got dressed. Hearing him walking about upstairs, Terry came up and knocked on the door, and Lincoln allowed him inside.

“Well, it’s about _time_ you got up!” Terry said.

Lincoln shrugged. “Hey, what can I say? I did a lot of thinking last night.”

“Oh yeah?” Terry leaned against the doorway. “Think of anything?”

“Actually, I did.” Lincoln put his hands on his hips, took a deep breath, and looked at Terry. “I thought I was past the incident. I’m not – I’ve just been running from it. Not anymore. I have to face this.” He sighed. “…I have to put this to rest, once and for all. Tell Dad that I want my… my _sisters_ to come home.”

Terry beamed proudly at Lincoln. He stepped aside. “Well, I think you can tell him that yourself, can’t you?”

Lincoln grinned at Terry, then walked out of the room and down the stairs holding his hand. Lily and Mr. Loud were in the living room, watching _Operation Dessert Storm._

“Guys?” Lincoln said.

Mr. Loud paused the DVR. “Yes, Lincoln?”

“I’ve decided. Dad, you can call Mom and the others. Tell them to start packing.”

Lily gasped, then jumped up and wrapped her limbs around Lincoln, causing him to stumble backwards into the armchair. “Oh, Linky,” she said ecstatically, _“thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!”_

Terry laughed, putting a hand on Lily’s shoulder. “Hey, take it easy, Lily, you’ll squeeze the life out of him!”

As Lily nuzzled Lincoln’s collarbone, Lincoln saw Mr. Loud brighten up, as if some vitality had been restored to his weary body. “Son…” Mr. Loud said, “…you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I… I’m proud of you, son.”

Lincoln gently pried Lily off of him, then stood up and nodded at Mr. Loud.

Mr. Loud clapped his hands together. “Well! I do believe this is cause for celebration!”

Lincoln slammed his hand on the coffee table, startling everyone. _“NO! Absolutely not!”_ he said.

Lily, Terry, and Mr. Loud all looked at Lincoln, surprised at his outburst. “S-Son,” Mr. Loud said, “I was just going to say that we should go out to Giovanni Chang’s for dinner…”

Lincoln’s eyes widened with realization, and he shrank into himself sheepishly. “O-Oh, uh… _heh…_ sorry, everyone, I-I just thought, uh, y-you know, when Dad said he wanted to _‘celebrate’…”_

Mr. Loud realized what Lincoln was talking about and shook his head, waving his hand through the air. “Son, don’t you worry – I’m over that, I swear. You don’t ever have to worry about me slipping up while you’re around.”

Lincoln felt relieved by that, although the way his father said it made him worry a little. What would happen when Lincoln moved out of the house?

“All right, I’ll call your mother and tell her the good news. After that, I’ll place the reservation at Giovanni Chang’s. Who’s looking forward to some linguini dim sum?”

“I know I am!”

“Me too!”

“Yeah…”

(…)

Lincoln was somewhat relieved to hear that his mother and sisters were not coming soon, as plans had to be made. It was decided that, since the girls lived close enough, Mr. Loud would take a road trip to pick them up and drive them to Royal Woods in two weeks. Lincoln wondered where the girls had been living all this time, but he decided to wait until they arrived to ask them. He didn’t think he was ready to actually talk to them, anyways, even over the phone. Just as well, his father elected not to force him to talk to them, deciding that it would be better for them to reunite in person.

And so, time passed. The days went by. Winter break was announced, and Lincoln had two weeks to be spent at home relaxing. But there was no relaxing to be had for him this year. Lincoln spent most of the passing weeks inside, mentally preparing himself for the arrival of his sisters, with the patient support of Terry and Mr. Loud. Together, they reviewed the facts of the incident from both sides of the story, and Lincoln gained an understanding of what his sisters thought, felt, and went through. He felt sympathy for them as he learned of their guilt and troubles, and shame for not thinking about them sooner. That said, he couldn’t shake the lingering sense of unease he had. This, however, only strengthened his resolve to settle the matter once and for all.

Mr. Loud left on December 18th, and called ahead to announce that he and the girls were a day away on the 21st. Lincoln could hardly sleep that night. The moment was almost at hand, but was he really ready for it?

December 22nd. Lily sat by the window, desperately squirming as she looked for the family van. When she saw the white van coming down the road, she squealed with joy and ran up to Terry, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV.

_“Terry!”_ Lily said, hopping up and down. _“They’re here! They’re here, they’re here, they’re here!”_ Suddenly, she doubled over, clutching her stomach and groaning.

“What’s the matter?” Terry asked.

Lily wore a pained look. _“Ohhh…_ I really wanna see them, but I also really hafta go to the bathroom…”

“You can see them _after_ you go to the bathroom, silly Lily!” Terry said, laughing.

Lily sighed with relief, as if she had not thought of that. “Thanks, Terry!” she said as she ran upstairs.

“Don’t forget to wash your hands!” She didn’t seem to hear him. Terry shook his head, chuckling. He got up and looked out the window, seeing Mr. Loud start to unload the luggage as his daughters climbed out of the car and stretched. He stepped back, turning his gaze to the staircase.

It was time.

Terry headed upstairs to Lincoln’s room and knocked gently on the door. “Lincoln?”

“…Come in.”

Terry opened the door, and saw Lincoln sitting on his bed, leaning forward with his hands clasped together. Downstairs, the front door opened, and Terry heard the girls coming in, chattering excitedly about being home again. Lincoln hung his head lower.

Terry approached Lincoln slowly. “Lincoln…?”

Lincoln kept his head bowed, taking a deep breath. “Happy place… _Happy place…”_

Terry placed a hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. “Hey… it’s okay. You can do this, Lincoln. I believe in you. You hear me?” He cupped Lincoln’s cheek, making him look at him. _“I believe in you.”_

Lincoln touched Terry’s hand, smiling.

Mr. Loud called for Lincoln downstairs, and the chattering stopped. Terry looked at Lincoln.

“You ready?” he asked.

Lincoln sighed. “I’d better be – I’ve had all this time to prepare, haven’t I?”

Terry chuckled, taking Lincoln’s hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

_“Lincoln!”_ Mr. Loud called.

_“He’s coming!”_ Terry called back.

Terry led Lincoln out of his room, into the hallway, and to the head of the stairs.

And then he saw them.

The entire house went quiet. No-one moved. The girls stared at Lincoln almost as though they couldn’t believe he was real, making him fidget. Terry tugged his hand, slightly but insistently. Lincoln took a deep breath, and began walking down the stairs.

Lincoln’s parents and sisters stayed perfectly still, as if they were afraid that a single wrong move would send him running away. But Lincoln was stronger than that now. Terry led him to the bottom of the stairs, face-to-face with his sisters.

Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “Um, Lincoln,” he said, “you remember your sisters, don’t you?”

Lincoln scanned the crowd. There were fewer than he remembered. He let go of Terry’s hand and approached the closest one, whose breath hitched in her throat as he came closer. Lincoln looked the short, freckled, brown-haired girl up and down.

“Um, let me guess…” Lincoln pointed at her. “You’re… _Lynn,_ right?”

Lynn looked up at Lincoln, her eyes shining and her lips quivering. She took a shuddering breath, then seized the moment before it proved too good to be true, wrapping her arms around Lincoln. Although surprised, Lincoln stayed strong, and didn’t run.

“L-Lynn?”

Lynn started crying as she pressed her head against Lincoln’s chest. _“I thought I’d never see you again…”_ she whispered.

Lincoln awkwardly patted her on the back. “Uh… _heh…_ doesn’t look like you’ve grown much, Lynn…”

He quickly shut his mouth, expecting her to be mad at that statement, but she only hugged him tighter. Lincoln gasped – she was still as strong as he remembered.

Someone behind Lynn laughed, and Lincoln recognized the laugh immediately. “Hey, Lynn,” a girl with buck teeth and brown hair in a ponytail said, “squeeze a little tighter – I think I heard a rib snap!”

Lynn reluctantly released Lincoln, who rubbed his sore ribs. _“Ah…_ Hey, Luan,” Lincoln said.

Luan raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. “Oh, wow, I’m surprised you recognize me without my braces!” She laughed. _“Ah…_ Hey there, ‘little’ brother.”

_“Heh,_ _heh…_ ‘little’. Right.” Lincoln offered Luan a hug, to which she shrugged and accepted it.

Next, Lincoln approached a blonde woman who barely scraped past his chin. She looked familiar, but there was something different about her – like there was some sort of new wisdom about her. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as they looked at him. “Oh, Linky…” she said, “you’ve gotten so big…”

The kindness in her voice was unmistakable. Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. “Uh, yeah, uh, about 6’1’’, now. Um, hey, Leni.”

Leni took one step towards him, putting a hand on his cheek. Lincoln could see now that her eyes were glistening with tears.

_“Oh…!”_

Overcome with joy, Leni wrapped her arms around Lincoln’s neck and threw her head over his shoulder, popping one foot into the air. Lincoln laughed nervously as he patted her on the back.

The hug went on for longer than Lincoln expected, and soon it began to become uncomfortable – not just for him, but for everyone watching. “Uh… _Leni?”_ Lynn said.

Leni opened her eyes to look at her. _“Hm?”_

“Think you might be… _dragging it out,_ a little?”

“Dragging what out?”

“The hug.”

“The hug?” Leni blinked as the realization hit her. _“Oh!”_ She broke the hug. “I’m sorry, Linky, it’s just… oh, it’s just _so_ _good_ to see you again!”

Lincoln couldn’t help but smile. The years may have made Leni _wiser,_ but not _smarter._ _“Eheh…_ Well, it’s… kinda good to see you too, Leni.”

Leni squealed and bounced her fists together upon hearing that. Chuckling, Lincoln turned to the last sister, a girl with long blonde hair that looked to almost be a teenager. There were only two possible candidates as to who she could have been.

Lincoln scratched his head. “Um… Uh… Let’s see…” He looked at her, completely uncertain. “…Lola?”

The girl looked askance at him, confused and a little offended. “Uh… _Lana,_ actually.”

Lincoln retreated a step, taken aback. “Oh, uh… sorry. I-It’s just, uh, I, uh… you know… didn’t recognize you without the hat.”

Lana laughed. “That’s how you know it’s been a long time. I outgrew that thing – literally and figuratively. It was falling apart, anyways…”

“Ah. Well, uh…” Lincoln hesitantly patted her head. “It’s good to see that you’re growing up, anyways…”

_“Aw…”_ Lana hugged him. “It’s good to see you, big brother.”

Lincoln hugged her back, then turned his attention to his mother. Mrs. Loud looked aged, wrinkled in several new places and graying at the roots. It didn’t appear to be natural aging – it seemed as if years of despair and exhaustion had drained her body. She covered her mouth and fought back tears as she looked at him.

“Lincoln…” Mrs. Loud said. “My beautiful baby boy… You’ve grown up so fast… and I wasn’t here to see it…”

Lincoln nodded sadly. He remembered that night at the police station – how his mother had lost control and tried to attack him just like his sisters had. But she didn’t attack him, and it wasn’t her fault besides. Lincoln felt guilty now for not wanting to see her or thinking about her back then, cursing his weakness.

“Yeah… uh, hi, Mom.” He tenderly offered a hug, which she gratefully accepted. She held Lincoln by the shoulders after they parted.

“Oh, Lincoln…” she said, her eyes full of regret. The way she said it made Lincoln cast his eyes downward. “…We’ve all missed you so much. _Haven’t we, girls?”_

The girls all cheered in agreement, piling around Lincoln for a group hug. Lincoln’s heart skipped a beat, but he fought to retain control. He felt the heat from everyone’s bodies envelop him, and calmed down.

Terry watched the heartwarming scene from the stairs. He looked at Mr. Loud. “Well?” he said. “Aren’t you going to join in?”

Mrs. Loud heard his voice and looked up at him. “Oh! Um, hello…”

The other girls broke the hug, also looking at Terry. “Oh, my!” Terry said. “Excuse me, but we haven’t been properly introduced. I just wanted you to enjoy the moment. Guess I spoiled it, though…” He cleared his throat.

“My name’s Terrance Powell. Call me Terry. I’m… Lincoln’s boyfriend.”

The Loud girls all stared at Terry, completely and utterly shocked. For several moments, no-one said a word. Then, weakly, Lynn said, “Lincoln’s… _boyfriend?”_

“That’s right.” He came to the bottom of the stairs, extending his hand. One by one, the Loud sisters and their mother shook it. “It’s nice to meet you all. Mr. Loud’s told me a lot about you.”

“Terry,” Mr. Loud said, “I told you, you can just call me ‘Lynn’.”

“And _I_ told _you,_ Mr. Loud, that I respect you too much to do that. Besides…” He gestured to Lynn. “…there’s a ‘Lynn’ here already, too.”

As the others chuckled at that, Lily crept down the stairs, speaking up when the laughter died down. “U-Um…”

Everyone turned to look at her. Lily looked at the Loud girls, clutching her skirt. “A-Are you… my sisters…?”

Leni gasped. _“Lily?! Is that you?!”_

Lily’s sisters and their mother rushed up the stairs, sweeping her off her feet. Lily squealed as the girls brought her to the bottom of the stairs, gushing over how cute she was and how much she had grown since they last saw her as a baby.

_“Oh…!”_ Lily shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m so happy I finally got to meet you all!”

_“Oh, Lily…!”_ the girls said.

Lily took Lynn’s and Leni’s hands in her own. “We’re gonna spend the whole day together, catching up! It’s gonna be _so much fun!”_

“You bet!” Mr. Loud said. “Why don’t we start right now? Everyone take a seat in the living room!”

The Loud girls removed their coats, hats, boots, and scarves and put them on the coat rack, and everyone moved to the living room – Lincoln sitting in the armchair, Terry sitting in the chair in the far corner of the room, and the girls and their mother on the couch.

“Daddy, can I sit with my sisters?” Lily asked.

“Of course!”

_“Yay!”_ Lily hopped onto the couch in between Lana and Leni and snuggled in.

Lincoln sat in silence for a while before he realized that everyone expected him to begin the conversation. “O- _Oh!_ Uh, so, uh, um, uh… H-How have you been?”

Luan shrugged. “Been better.”

_“Luan!”_ Mrs. Loud said. “Lincoln, we’re fine. Just fine – even better now that we’ve seen you!”

“Yeah, and we mean actually _seeing you_ – not holed up in your room, scared to death of us!” Lynn added.

Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. _“Heh,_ yeah… M-My doctors say that I’ve made a lot of progress…”

“We can tell,” Mrs. Loud said proudly.

“So, does this mean that you’re, you know, past _the incident?”_ Lana asked.

Lincoln nodded. “Yes, I can go about my life without constantly thinking about it, or, uh, about any threats to myself. I’d… I’d still rather not think about it, though…”

Mrs. Loud nodded. “Oh, of course, of course.”

_“Heh,_ yeah. Uh… _Oh!”_ Lincoln remembered an important question he wanted to ask them. “So, uh, where, uh, where have you been this whole time?”

“What, Dad didn’t tell you?” Lynn said. “After we moved out to Great-Aunt Ruth’s, Mom managed to find us a house in Toronto. We’ve lived there ever since – well, Mom and Lana do, the rest of us have moved into dorms at the university.”

“Oh? Are any of you, uh, roommates?”

“Leni and Luna are.”

“I see.” Lincoln exhaled – this conversation was starting to wear him out a little. “So, uh, Toronto, huh? What’s that like?”

Leni held her hands over her heart. “Oh, it’s _such_ a beautiful city! The air is so clean, the people are so nice…”

“And the best part is, it’s huge, so we can just blend in!” Lynn added.

Lincoln nodded. That made sense – the last thing the girls and their mother would have wanted after the incident was attention.

“You should come and visit sometime, Lincoln!” Mrs. Loud said. “I just know you’ll love it!”

_“Heh…_ maybe someday. So, uh, anyway, speaking of Luna, you know, earlier, where is everybody?”

“Oh, Luna decided not to come, sweetie,” Mrs. Loud said. “She said that coming here would bring back too many painful memories.”

Lincoln nodded. “Okay, okay, I-I understand. So, uh, what about the others?”

The girls looked confused. “‘Others’?” Luan said.

“Yeah, you know – Lori, Lucy, Lola, and Lisa.”

The Loud girls all looked at each other, appalled. Mrs. Loud looked at her husband. “Honey… you didn’t tell him?”

Lincoln looked at Mr. Loud, who looked intensely guilty.

“Tell me… _what?”_ Lincoln said.

Mrs. Loud looked at each of her daughters, unsure of what to do.

“Mom…” Lynn said, “…we _have_ to tell him.”

Lincoln had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear.

Mrs. Loud took a deep breath. “Okay, girls…” She turned to Lincoln. “Well, Lincoln, you see… Lori, Lucy, and Lisa…” She shook her head sadly, sighing.

“…They’re dead. All of them.”

Lincoln felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach. Lori, Lucy, and Lisa… all _dead?_ “W-What?” he said breathlessly.

The Loud girls all slowly nodded in confirmation.

_“How?!”_

Mrs. Loud sighed again – a slow, shuddering sigh. “They… killed themselves.”

Lincoln sank into his chair. Three of his sisters… dead by their own hand. Somehow, he couldn’t help but feel responsible…

Deciding that he didn’t need to know the details right now, Lincoln sat quietly. “W-Wait… what about Lola?” he asked after a while.

The girls all looked despondent, Lana especially so. Mrs. Loud gulped, trying not to cry. “W-Well… she kept getting into fights with… with the other girls…” She sniffled. “…And one day, she was gone. She had packed her belongings… and just _left._ She left a note, saying that she was ‘going home’. We figured that meant Royal Woods. We called the police, and they searched around, but they didn’t find her… We called your father, b-but she wasn’t there… W-W-We thought we’d hear from border patrol if she tried to cross the border, but… _but…!”_

Mrs. Loud broke down crying. As Leni consoled her, Lynn finished the story. “…We still don’t know what happened to her.”

Lincoln stared blankly ahead into space. Four sisters… _gone._ And with them, his chance to reconcile with them.

Lincoln thought back to the day his sisters left – how they had begged them to speak on their behalf. He sank even deeper into his chair.

He could have stopped this. He _was_ responsible.

Lily, who had been quietly listening to her mother all this time, now couldn’t restrain her tears. “Y-You mean… I-I’ll never get to meet them?” she said.

Leni shook her head. “No, Lily. I’m sorry.”

Lily started bawling, and she got up off the sofa. Terry stood up as well, and she ran into his arms, crying into his shirt. Lincoln watched her, then let his gaze drift to his father… and upon seeing his guilty face, remembered what Mrs. Loud had said, and his dismay was suddenly replaced with indignation.

Lincoln stood up abruptly. “Dad,” he said in a barely restrained voice, “can I talk to you in the kitchen?”

Mr. Loud knew exactly what Lincoln wanted to talk to him about, and he didn’t relish it. Sighing, he nodded and said, “…Yes, son.”

Lincoln stormed off to the kitchen, and Mr. Loud said, “Excuse us,” before following him. When he reached the kitchen, he found Lincoln pacing back and forth, incensed.

“N-Now, Lincoln,” Mr. Loud said, “I know you’re upset –”

Lincoln stopped and stared hard at his father. _“You knew about this?”_

Mr. Loud hung his head. “…Yes, I did.”

_“AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?!”_

“S-Son, you were still recovering! I-I didn’t want to make you more distressed than you were, I didn’t know what would happen – what you would _do!”_

“I still had a right to know, Dad! They’re my _family!”_

“W-Well, to be fair, son, you didn’t seem to think much about them at the time…”

“I –!” Lincoln paused. He didn’t have a good counterargument to that. He fell silent, brooding.

Mr. Loud sighed. “Look, son…” He tried to put a hand on Lincoln’s shoulder, but Lincoln shrugged it off. “Son, I hated finding out about it, myself – and I hated having to keep it from you, _believe me!_ But… just try to understand, I was only acting in what I believed to be your best interests…”

Lincoln thought about it for a while. Then, he hung his head, sighing. _“…Fine._ I don’t like it, but I understand why you did it.”

Mr. Loud looked relieved. “Oh, son, I’m so glad you under –”

Lincoln pointed at his father angrily. _“But I still don’t like it, Dad!”_

Mr. Loud shrank back. “O… Okay, son. All right.”

Lincoln continued to stare at Mr. Loud for a little while longer, then shook his head and headed out of the kitchen, back to the living room. Mr. Loud lingered in the kitchen, then sighed and followed him, aware that he had just lost a great deal of his son’s respect.

The argument, though brief, was loud enough to be heard in the living room. Everyone regarded Lincoln warily.

Lincoln didn’t look at anyone. “…So.”

Mrs. Loud rocked side-to-side in her seat. “So…”

“So.” Lincoln shook his head. “…I’m sorry.”

“No, if anyone should be sorry, it’s _us,”_ Lana said. “We relied on you and Lori so much to resolve our problems that we were helpless without you two. So, we kept fighting and fighting until…” She sighed.

“But we learned, and we adapted,” Lynn said. “Leni took over for you, and Luna took over for Lori, and now…” She and her mother and sisters joined hands, except for Luan. “…It’s okay, Lincoln. We… We came together in the end.”

“Well, _almost_ …” Lana said, glaring at Luan. Luan merely shrugged in response.

“Mm-hmm. And now that we’re all here together…” Mrs. Loud said, “…we can be a normal family again.”

Lincoln thought about that, and wondered if it was really possible. For as much as he would have liked to forget it, he still remembered his sisters’ last words to him before they left all those years ago.

“Yeah… _Yeah!”_ Lily hopped off the couch again, fired up. “We can do it! We can be a family! Right, Dad!”

Mr. Loud nodded. “Right, Lily!”

“Right, Terry?”

Terry nodded. “Right!”

“Right, Linky?”

Lincoln wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to let Lily down, though, so he said, “R-Right!”

Lily turned to her mother and sisters. “Come on, everybody! We’ll make this the best Christmas _ever!”_

The girls cheered, without full conviction, and Mrs. Loud stood up and clapped her hands together. “All right, girls, we’re back! Let’s all go unpack our things!”

The girls all stood up and grabbed their luggage from where they left it near the door, but as Terry and Mr. Loud politely offered to help the girls with their bags, Lincoln stayed sitting in his chair. He heard his sisters stomp up the stairs and walk around on the upper level, listlessly allowing the wave of conflicting emotions wash over him. His sisters, who had defiled him and took his innocence against their own will; his sisters, who had suffered for their crime just as much as he had; his sisters, of whom nine departed and only four returned; his sisters, who had claimed to be in love with him when they left, and whose feelings were unknown now…

His sisters were back in his life.


	15. Catch-Up

Leni wandered into the room, looking a little lost. This was not how she remembered it. All her posters were gone – the room was rather bare. There was only one bed, not two. There was a TV and video game consoles where the vanity mirror used to be, and Luna’s beanbag chair was in the center of the room. And there was a computer where the sewing machine used to be.

Leni sighed. Everything _seemed_ so similar, but _looked_ so different…

Lily saw Leni standing in the room and came in. “Leni?” she said.

Leni flinched, then turned to face Lily with the best smile she could muster. “Y-Yes, sweetie?”

“What are you doing in Linky’s room?”

Leni looked around. “Oh… This is Linky’s room?”

Lily nodded. Leni sat down on Lincoln’s bed, looking around the room wistfully. “Everything’s changed so much…”

“What do you mean?” Lily asked.

 “Well… it’s just that…” Leni gestured to the whole room. “Back when we all used to live here, this was _my_ room. Well, mine and Lori’s. Everyone except Lincoln had to share a room. And I shared mine with Lori.”

Lily was silent for a few moments. Then, she walked up to the bed and sat down next to Leni. “Leni?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“…Tell me about Lori.”

Leni sighed. “Lori… Well, Lori was the oldest out of all of us, yeah… I-I guess that meant that she was supposed to be the most responsible, too. You were too young to remember, Lily, but things used to be really crazy when we all lived here. Lori’s the one who kept us all in line. Sure, that meant that she could be a little mean and bossy sometimes, but she cared about us. She really did.” Her expression turned somber. “But… after the incident, we all started getting mad at her for a bunch of stupid reasons that weren’t her fault. And because of that, and because of what happened in the incident, she kinda… Well, I guess she just kinda _broke._ Like a toy.” Leni closed her eyes. “I used to think that Lori was so amazing, so capable… so much better than me. I guess she didn’t think that way about herself. Without us to rely on her and make her feel better about herself, she just kinda… _stopped working._ And then…”

Lily looked sad. “…Yeah.”

Leni looked at Lily, wondering. Lily picked up on her staring and cocked her head at her elder sister. “What?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing. It’s just… I’m surprised you know what death is, Lily.”

Lily pouted. “Yeah – I’m not _stupid.”_

“No, you’re not. You’ve grown up so much, Lily – you and Linky both. It’s amazing.” Leni looked up and to the left. “Isn’t it, Lori?”

Lily looked confused. “…Huh?”

Leni turned back to her. “What?”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Lori.”

“But… I thought Lori was dead…?”

Leni looked around mischievously. She leaned in close to Lily. “Lily,” she whispered, “you can keep a secret, right?”

Lily nodded.

“Okay, well, I know Lori’s dead, but sometimes, when no-one’s looking, I like to pretend that she’s not – just to make me feel better.”

Lily beamed up at Leni. “I like playing pretend, too! Maybe we can play pretend together later!”

Leni chuckled, nodding at Lily. “Sure, Lily! Sure!”

(…)

Luan strolled into the room, looking at the rock band posters on the wall. Was this Lincoln’s room?  Certainly, _someone_ was living here, judging by the odd bit of laundry scattered here and there, as well as the fact that the bottom bunk appeared to have been slept in recently.

“Help you find something?”

A voice behind Luan made her flinch. Turning around, she saw that it was Terry.

“Oh! Uh, no, I’m just looking around,” Luan said. “Is this Lincoln’s room?”

Terry shook his head. “No, this is _my_ room.”

Luan looked at Terry, surprised. “You… You _live here?”_

“Uh-huh.”

Luan stared at him for a moment, then snickered. “Bet there’s a story behind that, eh?”

“You bet.”

Luan began to strain and struggle not to laugh, but failed. _“Hahahahaha!”_

“…What’s so funny?” asked Terry, taken aback.

Luan was laughing too hard to answer right away, but once she calmed down, said, _“You!_ You’re just so… so… _funny!”_ She burst out laughing again.

“…What’s so funny about me?”

Luan wiped a tear out of her eye. _“Hahaha… Haha… Ha…_ _Everything!_ Everything about you! You, you being here, it’s all just…” She laughed again. “I gotta admit, I didn’t see _you_ coming, but now… _man,_ that’s a good one! _Hahahahaha!”_

Terry frowned. “Did you need something, or did you just come in here to laugh at me?”

Luan waved her hands back and forth. “Oh, no, no, no, _no!_ Terry, Terry, you’ve got to understand, I’m not laughing at _you._ Just at… well, you wouldn’t understand.”

Terry rolled his eyes and sighed. _“Can I help you?”_

“Well…” Luan began unzipping her baggage. “You know, this used to be my room. Is it okay if I stay in here?”

“Well, after that stunt you just pulled, I’m not sure…”

“Terry, _please!_ I told you, I wasn’t laughing at _you!”_

“Sure felt like you were… Well, if this didn’t use to be your room, I’d say no. But if you promise not to laugh at me anymore, then I _might_ be persuaded to change my mind…”

“I wasn’t –” Luan sighed. He just didn’t get it. _No-one_ did. “…Fine. I promise.”

“…Okay.”

“Great!” Luan darted up the ladder to the top bunk, stretching out on it. _“Ah…_ I always wanted the top bunk, but Luna had seniority, so she pulled rank on me.” She rolled onto her side, looking down at Terry. “So, while I get unpacked, why don’t you tell me how you ended up living here?”

Terry stretched, thinking. _“Hmm… Ahh…_ Why don’t I save that story for lunch? That way, everyone can hear it, and I won’t have to repeat it for them.”

“Can’t wait!”

(…)

“Okay, sweetie, here it is, just like Dad said.” Mrs. Loud rolled Lynn’s luggage into her room. “Dad kept all the furniture exactly the way it used to be.”

Lynn walked into the room slowly, reverently. Her football lamp and her pennants were gone – they had gone to Toronto with her – but her bed remained, freshly made, as though she had never left. She lightly brushed the covers with her fingers, letting the nostalgia wash over her… but when she turned around, a new type of nostalgia filtered in.

Mrs. Loud watched Lynn’s face fall. “Lynn?” she said. “What’s wrong?”

Lynn dragged her feet across the carpet to the other side of the room. Lucy’s bed was kept in the same pristine condition as hers.

“Lynn?” As Lynn knelt down at the side of Lucy’s bed, Mrs. Loud realized what was wrong. “Oh…”

Mrs. Loud walked up to Lynn and put a hand on her shoulder as Lynn lay her hands flat on the bed. “…Lynn?” she asked. “…Are you okay?”

Lynn hung her head, not answering. After a few moments, she started laughing mirthlessly. “Y-You know, it’s funny…”

“W… What is?”

Lynn looked up at her mother. “Lucy was always ‘Miss Gloom and Doom’, you know? And… And she was never really good at communicating, either. So, all of those poems she wrote before…? All those poems about death, despair, and oblivion? We… We thought it was just more of the usual, didn’t we? We never realized that… that she was… crying for help, in her own way… We-We never really realized, be-because of the way she was, just how much _pain_ she was in… just how much she needed us… and… and we…” She began tearing up. _“…And we weren’t there for her…”_

Lynn collapsed on top of the bed, sobbing. Mrs. Loud rubbed Lynn’s back consolingly. Lynn turned her head to the side so that she could make herself heard, and sniffled.

“I miss her, Mom… _I miss her so much…”_

(…)

Lana shuddered. The room felt so empty without her hats and posters on the wall, and _especially_ without all of Lola’s stuffed animals, mounted tiaras, play kitchen, tea table, and pictures of her beautiful self on the wall. Lana was especially disappointed to see all of Lola’s portraits missing. Without them, she could hardly imagine her twin sister’s face…

It sounded absurd – Lola’s face was _her_ face, too. And yet, Lola had always been the one who stayed conscious of her appearance – the one who bothered to appear _feminine._ Lana had never been one for girly things, but that all changed after Lola ran away. Now, she felt obligated at least try to look and act more like a girl – for Lola’s sake.

In a way, it kept Lola alive. Lana was sure that, alive or otherwise, nothing good could possibly have happened to Lola. A six-year-old girl running away from home and subsequently dropping off the face of the earth, with no-one able to find her, missing for six years?

The implications were _very_ unpleasant.

But being back here, in their room, brought back Lana’s memories of Lola. She remembered all the good times they had together… which made the memories of the bad times sting all the worse.

Lana’s heart ached as she plodded over to Lola’s bed, lying down on it. She wished she could take it back. She wished she could take it _all_ back… if only it would bring her back.

Mr. Loud came into the room and saw Lana lying on Lola’s bed. “Hey, kiddo?” he said. “You doing alright?”

Lana didn’t answer, instead blankly staring up at the ceiling.

“…Oh- _kay,_ then. Uh… well, I’ve got your bag here, so…” He wheeled Lana’s bag into the room. “If you want to go ahead and unpack, then…”

Lana still didn’t answer. Sighing, Mr. Loud prepared to leave her alone.

“…Dad.”

Mr. Loud jumped slightly. He turned back around. “Yes?”

Lana was sitting upright on Lola’s bed. “…I don’t want to stay in here.”

Mr. Loud looked at Lana, confused, before it dawned on him. “Oh… okay, sweetie. If… If you don’t want to stay in here, then… we won’t force you to. Um…” He backed out into the hallway. “…Do you want to try sleeping with Lynn?”

Lana smirked grimly, remembering the last time she and Lynn had shared a room. But her exotic pets were all gone now, and she could put up with anything other than staying in her old room.

“…Sure, Dad. I’ll sleep with Lynn.”

Mr. Loud nodded. “All right. I’ll go talk to Lynn.”

As he left for Lynn’s room, Lana got up and wheeled her bag out into the hallway. It didn’t matter who she slept with or where else she was.

She didn’t want to be in that room.

She didn’t want the memories to come back.

(…)

It took about half an hour for the Loud sisters to unpack and settle in. The house bustled with activity, as Lily kept her sisters and mother busy with questions upon questions about themselves and Mr. Loud conferred with Terry and made phone call after phone call. Through it all, Lincoln sat in the same armchair, in the living room, almost in a daze. No matter how many times he tried to come up with a solution, his mind just kept going back to the problem. His sisters were back – after everything, _everything,_ they were back.

What was he going to do?

“…Uh-huh. Yeah. Okay – what? No, no, we’ll have lunch, and _then_ we’ll come see you. Okay? Okay. Right, see you then. Uh-huh. Yeah. Okay. Bye.” Mr. Loud hung up the phone and walked upstairs. “Okay, kids,” he called out, “we all done unpacking?”

The girls all poked their heads out of their rooms and affirmed that they were.

“All right, then! Who’s hungry?”

“Oh my God, _I am!”_ Lana said.

“Me too!” Lynn added. “God, I’m so hungry, I could eat a _moose!”_

“A _moose?”_ Luan said, laughing.

“Yeah, a _moose!_ What?”

“Nothing, nothing, just… you know, funny, is all! _Moose…_ ”

“Huh. I didn’t realize how hungry you guys were,” Terry said.

“Oh, we were just so excited to be back!” Leni said.

“Yeah, so excited that we skipped breakfast and drove straight here!” Lana said.

“Well, let’s fix that, huh? What say we all go out and grab a bite?” Mr. Loud said.

Lily raised her hand. _“Ooh! Ooh!_ Can we go to Burpin’ Burger? I wanna go to Burpin’ Burger!”

Mr. Loud looked around the hallway. “Does anyone else feel like Burpin’ Burger?”

“Anywhere’s fine, as long as we get to eat soon!” Lynn said, clutching her stomach. Her sisters all agreed.

“All right – Burpin’ Burger it is! Let’s go, kids!”

Lily cheered and ran out into the hallway and down the stairs, singing the Burpin’ Burger jingle. Terry, Mrs. Loud, and the Loud sisters followed her, and everyone grabbed their coats, scarves, and hats and headed out to the van. As they assembled in the driveway, Mr. Loud took a headcount.

“Okay, let’s see… Rita, Leni, Luan, Lynn, Lana, Lily, Terry, and…” He looked around. “…Lincoln?” He looked back at the house. “Must still be inside. Hang on, everyone, I’ll go get him.”

Mr. Loud re-entered the house, where he found Lincoln still sitting in his chair. “Lincoln? Come on, son, we’re going to Burpin’ Burger.”

Lincoln didn’t answer.

“Lincoln?”

Lincoln still did not respond.

Mr. Loud saw the troubled look on Lincoln’s face and worried. Sighing, he walked over and sat on the couch, leaning forward.

“Lincoln,” he said, _“please,_ if something’s bothering you, you need to talk about it. I… I understand if you don’t want to talk about it with me. If you’d rather talk to Terry, I’ll call him inside. But please, Lincoln, _talk.”_

Lincoln closed his eyes. His father was right – he couldn’t solve this problem alone. He needed help. He leaned his head back against the chair, putting one hand over his eyes and dragging it down his face.

“…Dad…” Lincoln sighed. “…I just… I just don’t know what to do.”

“What do you mean?” Mr. Loud asked.

“With _them._ I know… I know I said I wanted to try, but… after everything that’s happened – and I mean _everything_ – what am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to _do?”_

Mr. Loud nodded in understanding. “I get it, son – things are really awkward right now, after hearing about… _what happened…_ to Lori and the others. And I understand that you’re still uneasy around your sisters, even with all the progress you’ve made. But I’m not – son, look at me.”

Lincoln reluctantly did so.

“I’m not asking you to just jump back into a normal family dynamic right away. Just try to ease into it for right now, okay? If you don’t feel comfortable talking, then don’t talk. Just let Terry do the talking.”

Lincoln looked to the side. “Terry _always_ does the talking…”

“I know. But the important thing is that you’re there, spending time with us. You may not feel comfortable doing it now, but you will. It’ll take time, but you _will._ Trust me. You’ve just got to take the first step. Okay?”

Lincoln stared out the window silently for several moments before he finally sighed. “I’ll try…”

“That’s all we’re asking of you, Lincoln. We’ll be there to support you, every step of the way.” He patted Lincoln’s thigh. “Now come on, son. Let’s go.”

Mr. Loud got up and headed for the door. With a great amount of effort, Lincoln lifted himself out of the seat and plodded after him. As he walked to the van, he mentally chanted, _Happy place… happy place… happy place…_

As soon as everyone saw Lincoln coming, they eagerly piled into the bright white van. Mrs. Loud took the passenger seat; Luan and Leni sat in the front row; Lily sat between Lynn and Lana in the middle row; and Terry saved Lincoln a seat in the back row. Lincoln climbed into the back, grateful for Terry’s presence.

As Mr. Loud climbed into the driver’s seat, he heard Lana sigh. “I really miss Vanzilla…” she said.

“‘Vanzilla’?” Terry said.

“Our old van,” Lynn explained. “She was a hunk of junk, but she was _our_ hunk of junk, you know?”

“Oh, honey, whatever happened that made you give up Vanzilla?” Rita asked. “You _loved_ that car…”

Mr. Loud sighed. “Yeah, I did… But… But, you know, she broke down one time too many, and it was too expensive to pay for her to get fixed again, so, we had no choice but to scrap her…”

The girls all groaned in disappointment. Vanzilla might have been old, but that was what gave it so many memories.

Mr. Loud saw how sad his daughters were, and his heart panged with guilt. He couldn’t tell them the real reason he got rid of Vanzilla – that he just didn’t see the point in putting up with it any longer…

For the sake of his family, Mr. Loud pushed the negative thoughts out of his mind. He started up the van, and when the car was warm, called out, _“Who’s ready to eat?”_

_“ME!”_ everyone shouted.

(…)

“…Okay, okay. _Clyde McBride.”_

Mollie and Cristina both giggled at Girl Jordan’s latest suggestion in their game in which they debated and rated the attractiveness of the boys at Royal Woods High.

“Come on, guys!” Girl Jordan said. _“Humor me!”_

Mollie held her hands up assuagingly. “Hey, hey, no, that’s good – that’s a good choice, Jordie!” She chuckled. “Well, there’s no doubt his _voice_ is sexy…”

Girl Jordan sighed dreamily. _“Oh, yeah…”_

“Yeah, but he’s such a dork, though!” Cristina said.

“I know – but isn’t there something kinda endearing about that?” Girl Jordan munched on a curly fry as she searched for a way to describe Clyde’s charm. “He’s just… He’s just, uh…”

_“Adorkable,”_ Mollie suggested.

Girl Jordan and Cristina laughed. “Hey, that’s pretty good!” Cristina said. _“‘Adorkable’!_ Did you come up with that yourself?”

“Nah, I heard it on the Internet, on this crazy addictive site I stumbled across.”

“Well, whatever, it fits him _perfectly!_ Just a kind of nice, sensitive, adorably nerdy guy, you know?” Girl Jordan said.

“Well, _yeah,_ but some girls just aren’t into that,” Mollie said. “Some girls want strong, manly men – _alphas._ But again, there’s no accounting for taste, you know?”

“Right. But what do you guys think?”

Mollie and Cristina thought it over. Finally, Mollie shrugged. “I rate him a 6.”

“Yeah, 6 sounds about right,” Cristina agreed.

“Well, he’s a 7 to me,” Girl Jordan said.

Mollie shrugged, taking a sip of cola. “Like I said – no accounting for taste.” She turned to Cristina. “Okay, Crissie, your turn.”

Cristina hesitated, looking at her tray. “Um…”

Mollie arched her eyebrows at her. “Well?”

“Give her a sec – we’re running out of guys,” Girl Jordan said.

Cristina sighed. “Don’t laugh,” she said.

Mollie and Girl Jordan leaned in, suddenly interested. _“What?”_

_“Don’t laugh!”_

_“We won’t! What?!”_

Cristina paused. Then, she quietly said, _“…Lincoln Loud.”_

Both Mollie and Girl Jordan let out involuntary snickers, much to Cristina’s chagrin. “You _bitches!_ You said you wouldn’t laugh!”

Mollie waved her hand back and forth. “I know, I know, I’m sorry, but… _really?_ Y-You’re _serious?”_

“What, do _you_ have a crush on _him_ now?” Girl Jordan said.

Cristina blushed – she didn’t like being reminded of that. _“Humor me,”_ she growled.

Mollie sighed, grabbing a curly fry. “Come on, Cristina, _get real._ I mean, _sure,_ he’s hot and all – those scars make him look so rugged, I have to say – but have you _seen_ how much emotional baggage he’s lugging around? He’s shy, gloomy, jittery…”

“Not to mention _gay,”_ Girl Jordan said, as though it was supposed to be obvious.

“He’s _not_ gay,” Cristina said. “You see the way he looks at his boyfriend?”

Girl Jordan thought about it. _“…No?”_

“Exactly.” Cristina sipped her soda. “I’ve seen gay. He’s _not gay.”_

“Well, you’re still not getting a piece of him,” Mollie said.

“Hey, we’re talking hypothetically, aren’t we? So, hypothetically, what would you rate him?”

Mollie thought about it, then nodded. “4. Definitely. That boy’s cute, but he’s damaged goods.” She sighed, stirring her cola with her straw. “A shame, really. Who knows how he could have turned out if _that_ hadn’t happened to him…”

“God, can you _imagine?”_ Cristina said.

“I’d rather not…” Girl Jordan said.

Mollie looked out the window of the Burpin’ Burger. “Oh, hey, speak of the devil…”

“Huh?”

Girl Jordan arched her neck and Cristina turned around to see Lincoln outside.

“Yep, there he is,” Girl Jordan said. “And sure enough, Terry’s with him.”

“Oh, looks like he’s here with his family, too! His dad, and… wait… Is that… Is that his _mom?”_

“I don’t know…” Mollie’s jaw dropped as she laid eyes on the rest of Lincoln’s entourage. _“No… way…”_

Girl Jordan and Cristina were just as floored.

  _“I-It can’t be… Are those… his SISTERS?!”_

(…)

Lincoln opened the door and held it open for everyone, and as everyone came inside, Lily continued to chatter incessantly.

_“Oh! Oh!_ A-And will you all watch the _Pretty Pony Princess_ Christmas special with me when we get back? Please? _Please?”_

 “Uh, Lily,” Mr. Loud said, “you’ve been talking non-stop the entire way over here. Why don’t you give it a rest, huh, sweetie?”

Lily pouted. “But I want to talk to my sisters!” she complained.

“Silly Lily,” Terry said, “you’ll have the whole holiday season to talk to them and get to know them! But right now, we’re here as a group – which means you have to let us talk to each other too, okay?”

Lily folded her arms. _“Hmph!”_

Leni kneeled down and put her hands on Lily’s shoulders. “It doesn’t matter if you’re talking or not. The important thing is that you’re here, spending time with us, sweetie. And Terry’s right – we’ll have lots of time to talk and play together. _Promise.”_

Satisfied, Lily smiled and nodded. “…Okay.”

“All right, then.” Mr. Loud led the family to the counter.

“Welcome to Burpin’ Burger. May I take your order?” the employee behind the counter said.

“Yeah, can we have eight Big Belchers with everything, one Baby Belcher with everything, and nine orders of curly fries, please?”

“Actually, just a Veggie Belcher for me, honey,” Mrs. Loud said. “And a salad.”

“And just a Burpin’ Burger for me, Dad,” Lincoln said. “I’m… not that hungry.”

“Hey, I want a Big Belcher, too!” Lily said.

“You’ll never finish it, silly Lily!” Terry said. “Wait ‘till you’re a big girl!”

“I _am_ a big girl!” Lily stomped her foot. _“I am, I am, I am, I am, I am!”_

The others laughed at this display of immaturity. “Okay, tell you what,” Mr. Loud said, “we’ll get you chicken nuggets to go with your burger. Sound good?”

Lily frowned and crossed her arms, but growled, _“Fine…”_

“Okay. So, that’s one Burpin’ Burger, one Veggie Belcher, one Baby Belcher, six Big Belchers, nine orders of curly fries, and one order of chicken nuggets,” Mr. Loud said.

“What kind of dipping sauce do you want for the nuggets?” the employee asked.

Mr. Loud turned to Lily. “Lily?”

“Do you have any Szechuan sauce?” Lily asked.

“We’re all out.”

Lily pouted. _“Phooey.”_

“How about sweet and sour sauce, then?” Mr. Loud said.

Lily sighed. “Okay…”

“Any drinks?” the employee asked.

“Kids, do you want any drinks?”

Lynn looked at the menu. “Hmmm… _Nuka-Cola?_ Isn’t that from that video game?”

“Oh, yeah, they’re promoting the new one, it’s coming out soon,” Terry explained.

“Hm. Sounds interesting. You guys want to try it?”

Everyone agreed.

“Okay, then, nine Nuka-Colas all around. That’ll be it for us,” Mr. Loud said.

The employee totaled them up. “That’ll be $61.45, please,” she said.

Mr. Loud paid, and the employee printed a receipt and handed it to him. “You’ll be order 145, we’ll call you when it’s ready! Thank you, sir! _Next!”_

The Louds (and Terry) took the nearest open booth that could fit them all. The girls all sat on one side, with Lily squeezing in between Lynn and her mother, Mr. Loud sitting next to his wife, Lincoln sitting next to him, and Terry sitting at the other end, next to Lincoln.

The booth was quiet. Lily had wanted to talk, but no-one wanted her to, apparently, so she stayed quiet. Lincoln hated the way everyone else was staring at him. It didn’t make trying to think of something to say any easier, and it wasn’t easy to begin with. And the longer he stayed silent, the harder it became.

Terry saw Lincoln retreating into himself, and came to his rescue. “So…” he said, drumming his fingers on the table.

Everyone turned their attention to him.

“…Canada, huh?” Terry shrugged. “What’s that like?”

Luan shrugged back. “Cold.”

The girls all chuckled at that. “Well, actually,” Lynn said, “not _all_ the time. In Toronto, there are only two seasons: winter and construction.”

“So… only _half_ the time?”

“You know it!”

“What else is there?”

“Well… the milk comes in bags, eh?” Luan said.

“And the police ride on horses, eh?” Lana added.

“And everything is in English _and_ French, eh?” Leni added.

“And we’re big on hockey, eh?” Lynn added.

“And we say _‘eh’_ at the end of sentences, eh?” said Luan. “And… that’s about it.”

Terry looked at her in surprise. _“Really?”_

“What, do you want a history lesson on Canada? That’s about all you Americans care about, eh?” Lana said.

_“You’re_ American too, Lana!” Lynn reminded her.

“Less American than _you!”_

_“Ugh!”_ Lynn jabbed her thumb at her younger sister. “She’s gone native, I’m telling you…”

“Who are you kidding? We _all_ have!” Luan said.

“So, that makes it okay for you to play up Canadian stereotypes?” Terry said.

“Naw, you can make fun of Canadians around us too, eh?” Lynn said.

“Really?”

“Sure! After all, we make fun of Americans, so that makes us square, eh?” The girls all laughed together.

Terry shared a good-natured chuckle with them, then said, “All right, well, I’ve heard that Torontonians think that they’re the center of the universe. Tell me what makes your ‘special city’ so special.”

“Oh, here’s something you’ll like,” Mrs. Loud chimed in. “Toronto’s pride parade is one of the world’s biggest.”

“Oh, yeah! I’ve heard of that – hey, Lincoln, maybe we could go see the next one if we ever decide to visit! What do you think?”

Being pulled into the conversation jarred Lincoln. “I-I… I…” he stuttered, looking around the booth. Everyone was patiently waiting for him to speak. It was all so casual, so _normal…_

_Too_ normal.

Lincoln sighed. The thought had been eating at him the entire time, and now he realized that it was no use trying to make small talk as long as it was on his chest. He hung his head and shook it slowly. “I… I _can’t._ I’m sorry, but I just _can’t…”_

Terry put his arm around him. “What’s the matter, Lincoln?”

“I… I can’t pretend everything’s normal when it’s _not._ I mean… I just found out that three of my sisters are _dead._ One of them is _missing._ Am I just… supposed to forget all about that?”

Mrs. Loud and her daughters all shared somber looks. Mrs. Loud sighed, clasped her hands together, and leaned forwards. “Lincoln,” she said solemnly, “we understand how difficult this must be for you. And we promise, we’re not trying to make you pretend that things are right back to the way they used to be – at least, not on purpose. Honestly, we thought you knew about the others already. But…”

Mrs. Loud glanced at her husband, who didn’t dare look her in the eye.

“…So, maybe we weren’t prepared to learn that you didn’t know. But we can still help you get through this, just like we did. Not a day goes by when we don’t think about your sisters who… aren’t with us anymore… but the important thing is, _we’ve moved on._ We don’t dwell on the mistakes of the past. We _learn_ from them, sure, but we don’t dwell on them. And we can help you move on, too. Starting right now – by engaging with us here, now. Let’s not think about what we’ve lost…” She and her daughters joined hands.

“…Let’s think about what we still _have.”_

Lincoln chewed on that. It sounded a lot like what his doctors told him. Think positive – life is a precious gift that should not be squandered. Spending it in the company of others was a privilege. Lincoln closed his eyes, going to his happy place…

He was pulled back to reality by Terry giving his shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze. He saw that everyone was still awaiting his response, and, feeling better, nodded. _“…Okay,”_ he said.

Mrs. Loud smiled gently. “…Good.”

For a few moments afterwards, no-one said anything. Then, Luan shook her head and clucked her tongue. _“Tsk…_ It is a shame, though. About our sisters, I mean… If only they had opened up… Oh, wait, Lori _did_ open up – _her veins!”_

Luan doubled over, slapping the table and laughing uproariously. No-one else was amused in the slightest.

_“LUAN!”_ Lynn rested her head in her hand, growling furiously. “She does this _all the time,_ I swear…”

The men either stared or gaped at Luan, speechless. Just then, their order number was called out. Terry pounced on the opportunity to change the subject. “Well,” he said, getting up, “maybe some food in our bellies will put us in a better mood! ‘Scuse me, _heh…”_

Terry left, fetched the food, and brought it back. “Okay, everyone, dig in!”

Everyone did so, the hungry Loud sisters and their mother with special gusto. When everyone was finished, Lana let out a contented burp.

_“Mmmm…”_ Lana licked her lips. “I missed this place.” She looked at Lincoln. “Oh, Lincoln, you’ve got something on your face.”

“Where?” Lincoln asked.

“Hang on, I’ve got it.” Lana leaned over and scraped a smear of ketchup off of his cheek…

…then sucked the sauce off her finger.

The touch alone was enough to make Lincoln flinch involuntarily, but watching Lana lick her finger in an almost lascivious manner set his mind racing. What was going on? What was she _doing?_

_“Lana!”_ Mrs. Loud said, shocked by her daughter’s poor manners.

“Huh…? _Oh!_ Heh, s-sorry, Mom! I… I just, uh… _really_ missed this place!” Lana said nervously. She cleared her throat. “Well, I mean, I missed these burgers. I don’t really miss this _place –_ not after we got snowed in here…”

“Wait – you got _snowed in here?”_ Terry said.

Lana then recounted to Terry how she and her siblings became trapped in the Burpin’ Burger because she was so fixated on winning a contest. When she was finished, Terry closed his eyes, quietly stirring his cola.

“…‘Flip’, you said this guy’s name was?” he said.

“Yeah.”

Terry turned to Lily. “Lily. Grown-up talk.”

Lily covered her ears and started singing.

“That guy sounds like a grade-A jerkass,” Terry said, sipping his soda.

Mrs. Loud gasped. _“Terry!_ You shouldn’t use such language in front of Lana!”

“Come on, Mom!” Lana said. “I think I’m old enough!”

“And besides,” Luan chimed in, “is swearing _really_ so shocking, after everything _else_ we’ve done?” She laughed.

Once again, Terry was not amused. He looked at Lynn. “‘All the time’, you said?”

Lynn nodded. _“All the time.”_

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.”

He turned to Lily. “Lily? _Lily?”_

Lynn jabbed Lily, who stopped covering her ears and singing.

“You can stop now.”

_“Heh…_ that’s a pretty good word, though. You come up with that yourself?” Luan asked.

“Nah, I heard it on the Internet, on this crazy addictive site I stumbled across.”

“You know,” Mrs. Loud said, “that reminds me, Terry – this whole time, you’ve been getting to know us, yet _we’ve_ barely gotten to know _you._ Tell us about yourself. How long have you been dating Lincoln?”

Terry reached his arm across Lincoln’s shoulder. “Oh, about a year or so, now.”

“Are you staying over for the night?”

Terry looked at Mrs. Loud, confused. “‘Staying over’…?”

“Oh, no, Mom,” Luan said, “Terry isn’t visiting – he _lives_ at the house.”

Mrs. Loud looked at Terry, surprised. “You… You _do?”_

“In fact, as I recall…” Luan grinned at Terry. “You promised me a story behind that, didn’t you, Terry?”

Terry rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, well, it’s a long, tragic one, if you’re still interested…”

Luan waved dismissively. “Oh, don’t worry, we’re used to those.”

Terry shrugged. “…All right, then. I’m from Indiana, originally. My family – me, my parents, and my little brother and sister – moved here about six years ago. We lived right next door to the Louds.”

“‘Next door’… Wait, you don’t mean 1214 Franklin Avenue, do you?” Leni asked.

“Yeah, that’s it. Why?”

“That’s Mr. Grouse’s house!”

“Oh, did you know him?”

“Yeah, he was our neighbor. He could be kinda mean and grumpy sometimes, but he was nice, deep down… What happened to him?”

“Oh, uh…” Terry averted his gaze. “We, uh… When we bought the house, we heard that the last owner died of a heart attack…”

Leni sank into her seat. “Oh…”

“…I’m sorry.”

Leni didn’t respond.

_“Ahem…_ Anyways… my dad was a preacher – real conservative fundamentalist. He moved us to Royal Woods because he was convinced that its population was in desperate need of salvation. Actually… I think it might have been because of… that _incident…_ you girls were involved in…”

“R… _Really?”_ Lynn said.

“Yeah. I didn’t hear the full story until I moved in with Mr. Loud, but that whole situation was just plain FUBAR, no matter how you cut it.”

Lynn nodded sadly. “It was… _It really was…”_

Terry cleared his throat again. “Right… So, anyways, my dad set up a church here in town, and started preaching against gays, against premarital sex, preached abstinence and teetotalism and how the Bible was the ultimate moral compass, stuff like that. And you know, I guess some people just needed some spiritual guidance after… what happened… because he ended up attracting a large congregation.”

“Yeah, things really changed around here after the Powells moved to town,” Mr. Loud said. “I tell you, you _had_ to be there – it was an honest-to-God religious revival. People were taking God and the Bible seriously, attending church on Sundays, the whole deal. It was weird.”

“Yeah. So, for the first year or two, life was just peachy for us. We lived and swore by the Bible, and all was well. Then puberty kicked in. All my friends would talk (in secret) about the hottest girls in school, on TV, on film, you know. But as I learned what was ‘attractive’ and what wasn’t, I just couldn’t imagine girls having anything that I found ‘attractive’. The only thing I imagined… was guys.” Terry smiled grimly. “So, I thought about it, and I figured that I might be gay. I did what any normal kid would do – turn to my parents for guidance.”

“Uh-oh… how did that go?” Lynn asked.

Terry shrugged. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Oh, really?”

“It was _worse.”_

“Oh.”

“My mom was devastated. God, I hated seeing her like that – seeing her look at her son and not even know who he was. Dad was just about ready to disown me right then and there, but Mom didn’t want to give up hope. She wanted to ‘save’ me – save my soul from eternal damnation. She begged and pleaded, and finally my dad gave in. I was sent to religious counseling, homosexual conversion camps, the works, but nothing could ‘cure’ me. Eventually, I just accepted that being gay was just part of who I am – and that was it for me. My family started cutting me off, bit by bit – Dad started forbidding my brother and sister from talking to, being near, and eventually even _looking at_ the ‘profligate’. Jared never needed an excuse to treat me like crap, the little punk, but Betsy… God, that was the _worst._ She really looked up to me, you know? She really idolized her big brother… But when it came out that I was the very thing she had been raised to hate, well… it was just like… like I’d _betrayed_ her. Poor kid…”

“What… What did you do?” Lana asked.

“Well, I babysat for Lily in the meantime, and as things got worse and worse, I started spending more time next door than at home. It felt more like a home than home did, after all…” Terry chuckled. “When word got out that the preacher’s kid was gay, everything just kinda fell apart. People thought, if the minister couldn’t control his own family, how could he control his flock? So, most of my father’s congregation ended up deserting him. After that, Dad was done. He gave up on Royal Woods, and me, as a ‘lost cause’. The last thing he did before he abandoned the town to ‘vice and sin’ was assign Mr. Loud custody of me. Now, a young couple lives next door – the Van Dykes. Nice people…”

“But… where’s your family now?” Leni asked.

Terry folded his arms, frowning. “I don’t know, and _I don’t care.”_

“But… they’re still your family, Terry!”

“Not anymore.” He gestured to the whole table. _“This_ is my family now. Mr. Loud and Lily took care of me, and I took care of them… and then I met Lincoln.” He smiled at Lincoln. “The first time I saw him, I knew he was someone who needed someone in his life. And the more I got to know him, the more I fell in love. We… We _work_ together, you know?”

Lincoln smiled meekly as Terry praised him. Terry pecked him on the lips.

_“Aww…_ Well, I’m happy for you both,” Mrs. Loud said.

“Thanks, Mrs. Loud.”

Something about part of Terry’s story made Lynn wonder. “Wait… hold on, _wait a second._ You said you moved in, _then_ you met Lincoln?”

“Yes?”

“Well, didn’t you meet Lincoln when you moved in next door?”

Terry’s smile fell, and he shared a glance with Lincoln. “Well, actually –”

Suddenly, Mr. Loud stood up. _“Who wants seconds?”_ he interrupted.

As Terry glared at Mr. Loud, upset by and curious about his interruption, Lana raised her hand. _“Ooh! Me! Me! I do!”_

Lynn raised her hand as well. “Me too!”

“Me three!” said Luan.

“Oh… I shouldn’t eat too much or I’ll get fat… I’ll pass,” Leni said.

“Me too,” Mrs. Loud said.

“Okay – Lincoln? Lily? Terry?”

“Uh, just some fries for me, thanks…” Lincoln said.

“No thank you, Daddy, I’m full…” Lily said.

“Nothing for me…” Terry said.

“Okay, then.” He inched his way out of the booth, and Lincoln and Terry stood up to let him out. “Uh, listen, Terry, do you mind paying for this one…?”

Terry looked at Mr. Loud incredulously, then saw the look in his eyes. He turned to the others, flashing an uneasy grin. _“Heh…_ Well… ‘tis the season…”

“Thanks, Terry. Come on.”

Mr. Loud led Terry away from the others and into the line for the register. Terry exhaled sharply. “Okay, I know you’d never let or make me treat you. What’s up?” he said.

“Look… _please_ don’t tell them about Lincoln,” Mr. Loud said.

_“Really?_ Because keeping secrets of this magnitude from your family didn’t exactly work out well the _last_ time you tried it…”

_“Please,_ Terry!”

Terry put his hands on his hips. “You _have_ to tell them!”

“I-I _know,_ alright? But now’s not the best time!”

“There’s _never_ going to be a _‘best time’!”_

“T-Terry, telling them about it now… it’s not right!”

_“NOTHING you could possibly do in this situation is ‘right’, okay?!_ I’m just trying to suggest damage control!”

Mr. Loud massaged his temples, deeply distressed. Terry was right – there were only a few outcomes in this situation, and none of them were pleasant; the only difference was that some were less unpleasant than others.

“Mr. Loud…” Terry put one hand on Mr. Loud’s shoulder. “I’m only telling you this because I want to help. _You have to tell them.”_

Mr. Loud scrutinized each possible course of action. After a while, he slumped his shoulders and sighed heavily. “…I will, Terry. Okay? I _will._ But… But not now. Not… while we’re still getting settled in, okay? Just… give us some more time, and then I’ll tell them. Until then, please – _please_ don’t tell them. Okay?”

Terry stared at Mr. Loud for a few moments. Then, he shook his head and sighed. _“…Fine._ But I can’t promise that someone other than me won’t spill the secret…”

“Fine.”

They reached the register.

(…)

Lincoln, meanwhile, was left alone with his mother and sisters. He sat quietly in his seat, avoiding eye contact, while the others stared at him awkwardly. After several minutes of silence, Lincoln began to fidget. When were Terry and his dad coming back?

“So…”

Lincoln started. “H-Huh?”

Leni leaned on one elbow. “…Your scars have healed quite nicely, Linky…”

“O- _Oh…”_ Lincoln self-consciously turned his head. “I, uh… I-I’m surprised you, uh, noticed…”

“We almost didn’t – that’s how well they’ve healed.”

“Yeah, well, uh… _heh…_ T-The doctor did a good job…”

Leni shifted in her seat, giving him an odd look.

“You look… _handsome.”_

Lincoln froze. _“Handsome”?_ What was _that_ supposed to mean? He started thinking about the day his sisters left the house – what Leni had said to him. Did it still apply?

Were his sisters… still _in_ _love_ with him?

It sounded absurd, at least to him. His mom and dad knew about it – there was no way they _weren’t_ going to do something about it! But what did they do? And did it work?

“Lincoln?”

Lincoln train of thought was derailed. His sisters were all looking at him – he very desperately wanted them to _stop_ looking at him.

“Lincoln, what’s wrong?” Leni asked.

“I…” Lincoln started to break out in a cold sweat. “I… I-I-I…”

_“Who’s hungry?”_

Mr. Loud and Terry returned with more food. Lincoln slowly exhaled in relief as they retook their seats beside him.

“So, Terry,” Lynn said, “what was that about ‘meeting Lincoln’, again?”

Terry shrugged. “Oh, you know – we met, we hit it off, we got together. You know, just the usual stuff.” He smiled at Lincoln. “We’ve had a lot of good times together, haven’t we, Lincoln? Remember that time I won us free tickets to see _Franklin?”_

Lana gasped, bolting up in her seat. “You’ve seen _Franklin?!”_

“Who’s Franklin?” Leni asked.

“The _musical_ , Leni – the hottest musical of the _decade!_ I’ve heard those tickets are impossible to get! How did you win a free pair?!”

As Terry launched into another story – simultaneously preventing Lynn from getting a word in edgewise – Lincoln quietly ate his fries and listened. And as he listened, he continued to ponder the question in his mind. For the moment, he decided to give his sisters the benefit of the doubt. Lana was just being herself, in spite of how much she had changed, and Leni was just paying her little brother a compliment. After all, he _was_ lucky to still have good looks after how badly he had mutilated his face!

Lincoln’s mind was put at ease, and he relaxed. He was overreacting, overthinking the situation – surely it wasn’t as bad as he thought.

But one action, one little detail, was all it took to shatter his preconceptions. He and Lynn both reached out at the same time to grab a fry – but Lynn accidentally grabbed Lincoln’s hand instead. He was sure that she felt him tense up, sure that she could sense his discomfort in that one moment – and yet, her hand lingered. It did not last long, only a few moments at most, but that was long enough. Lincoln pulled his hand back, and Lynn’s hand hovered in the air for another moment before darting out and grabbing a fry, which Lynn silently munched on.

As Lincoln cradled his hand, paranoid thoughts started invading his mind, and he was helpless to resist them.

She couldn’t possibly have done that on purpose… could she?

Lincoln shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He _had_ to know for sure.

His opportunity came when Terry finished his story. “…And let me tell you, it is _totally_ worth the hype. That show was unlike any I had ever seen.”

_“Wow…”_ Lana’s eyes sparkled. “Gosh, Lincoln, you sure are lucky to have a boyfriend like Terry…”

_“Heh… Heh…_ Yeah…” Lincoln cleared his throat. “So, hey, um, what, uh… w-what about you, huh? I-I mean, do you guys, uh, have, uh, you know, any… boyfriends?”

Lynn raised an eyebrow. _“Hm?_ Boyfriends?”

“Y-Yeah, you know…”

Mrs. Loud looked at Lincoln, then her daughters. Luan smirked. “Okay, Linc, you wanna get to know a little about our dating lives?”

“I-I-I don’t mean to sound _nosy…”_

“Hey, relax, Linc, it’s okay! I’ll tell you!” Luan chuckled, pointing at Lana first. “Okay, so _Lana’s_ not interested in boys yet. _Leni_ can’t hold down a relationship for more than a month. _Lynn’s_ been dating a bunch of guys in secret…”

Lynn blushed. _“Luan!”_

“Um, why is this the first time I’ve heard about this?” Mrs. Loud asked.

_“Duh!_ Because it was a _secret,_ Mom!” Luan laughed. “Anyways, as for me, I haven’t attracted many guys, and none I’m interested in. Must be my winning personality…”

“I… I see…” Lincoln stood up. “Um… E-Excuse me, everyone, but I h-have to go to the bathroom…”

Lincoln extricated himself from the booth and headed to the bathroom. He didn’t really have to go – he just needed to be alone with his thoughts. As he did his business, he thought about what Luan had said. So, by all appearances, his sisters had their own love lives, independent of him. Then, what did what Leni had said that day mean? Did he just hallucinate it? It was certainly possible, given how delirious from exhaustion he was at the time; but at the same time, it was not likely, given how simultaneously hyperaware he had been of his surroundings. Soon, it became clear to Lincoln that Leni _did_ say that she and the others loved him.

So, what had changed?

_Had_ anything changed?

Lincoln finished washing his hands as he pondered this. When he exited the bathroom, he saw his mother standing just outside, and yelped.

_“Oh!_ Lincoln, are you all right?!” Mrs. Loud asked.

_“Ah…_ Fine, fine… you just, uh, s-startled me, is all…”

Mrs. Loud gave Lincoln a worried look. “Lincoln…” she said, “…is something bothering you?”

Lincoln hesitated.

“Lincoln, please, _talk to me…”_

“Mom…” Lincoln sighed. He _did_ have to talk about this with someone. “Mom… you were there that day, weren’t you? When… _they…_ said goodbye?”

“Yes?”

Lincoln gulped. “They… They _did_ say that they loved me… didn’t they?”

Mrs. Loud frowned as she recalled that particular memory. “…Yes, they did.”

Lincoln scratched the back of his head. “What… was _that_ all about?”

Mrs. Loud closed her eyes and brooded. “…I talked to them about it after we left. Apparently, they’d had those feelings for you all the while. The pheromone just brought them out. The pheromone wasn’t in them when they told me, so I know it wasn’t the pheromone talking.” She shook her head. “…Your sisters really _were_ in love with you, Lincoln.”

Lincoln stuffed his hands in his pockets and scuffed the floor with his shoes, at a complete loss. “I… I…” He sighed. “…I have to talk to them about that, don’t I? But… God, how do you talk about something like _that?”_

“You won’t have to.” Lincoln looked at his mother curiously. “After Lori, Lucy, and Lisa committed suicide, I sent the others to counseling. It didn’t seem to help Lola, because she ran away after the first session, but all the girls talked about their feelings for you and got over them. They told me so themselves. They’re over you, Lincoln. _Trust me.”_

“…Really?”

Mrs. Loud nodded.

Lincoln breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

“Why do you bring it up now?”

“It’s just… uh… s-some of them have been acting… kinda strange today, that’s all…”

Mrs. Loud put a hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. “Oh, sweetie, they’re just happy to finally be spending some time with you, that’s all. It’s been so long, you’ve probably forgotten what it’s like to be surrounded by so many sisters. But you’ll adjust. You’ll see.”

Lincoln placed his hand over his mother’s, then nodded. “…Okay, Mom.”

Mrs. Loud kissed Lincoln on the cheek, then took his hand. “Come on, Lincoln. Let’s go.”

Mrs. Loud led Lincoln back to the booth, where everyone was just getting up. “Don’t bother sitting down, kiddo,” Mr. Loud said, “we’re about to head out.”

“Oh, alright…”

As Mr. Loud gathered the trays and burger wrappers and took them to the garbage, Lincoln hooked up with Terry. As the two of them prepared to leave, Mollie ran into them.

“Oh, _hey,_ Terry!” Mollie said. “Fancy meeting you here!”

“Oh, hey, Mollie! What’s up?” Terry said.

“Oh, nothing, just chilling with the girls… Hey, Lincoln.”

Lincoln waved shyly.

“So, it’s just the two of you here?” Mollie said.

“Oh, no, we’re here with the whole family,” Terry said.

“Oh, so you two, Mr. Loud, and Lily?”

“Well, not _just_ them…”

“Oh, yeah, I thought I saw you sitting with some other girls! Who are they, Lincoln’s cousins?”

“Uh…” Terry turned to Lincoln, who shrugged. “Uh, yeah, they’re, uh… visiting from Toronto.”

“Ooh, _Toronto?_ Really?”

“Uh, yeah – listen, Mollie, do you mind not telling anyone else about this? We’re just trying to have a low-key family get-together this Christmas…”

Mollie nodded. “Oh, sure, don’t worry! You can count on me!”

“Thanks, Mollie! Thanks so much!”

“Guys?” Mr. Loud called from the doorway.

“Oh, sorry, Mollie, but we’ve gotta run! See ya – Merry Christmas!”

“Bye! Merry Christmas!”

Mollie waved the two of them off, then returned to her table as quickly as she could. Girl Jordan and Cristina leaned forward intently. _“So?”_

“It’s them – it’s _definitely_ them!” Mollie said.

_“No way!”_ Girl Jordan said.

_“I don’t believe it!”_ Cristina said.

“Guys, we’ve gotta spread the word – we’ve gotta spread the word _right now!”_ Mollie said.

“Already on it!” Girl Jordan posted a picture of the group that she had discreetly taken on a social media website, and wrote in the text:

_You’d better shout_

_You’d better cry_

_You’d better pout_

_I’ll tell you why_

_The Loud sisters have come to town_

“And… _post.”_


	16. Quiet As The Grave

Lily looked out the window of the moving van. As she read the street signs, she noticed something wrong. She strained to look up at the front of the car. “Daddy,” she said, “this isn’t the way home…”

Mr. Loud looked at her through the rear-view mirror. “No, honey, it’s not.”

“Lynn, where are we going?” Mrs. Loud asked.

Mr. Loud turned his head slightly to talk to everyone in the back. “Alright, kids, you ready to hear the plan for the next few days?”

Everyone sat up and listened attentively.

“First, we’re gonna pay a visit to someone who’s been waiting to see you for a long time.”

That made the girls curious. All at once, they began talking over each other, asking who it was.

Mr. Loud smiled fondly – things were already beginning to feel the way they used to. “Hey, hey, girls, girls, calm down,” he said, “I’ll get to that in a minute.”

Groaning in disappointment, the girls all settled back into their seats and waited impatiently.

“Okay, then we’ll go home and just relax, settle in. Lily, you’ll have plenty of time to play with your sisters, and Lincoln, you can just… talk, relax, or… you know, whatever…”

Lily bounced in her seat, overjoyed at the idea, but Lincoln sat silent. He knew that he was under some sort of obligation to spend time with his sisters, but he still had no idea how to carry a conversation with them – by himself, at least. He hoped that Terry was still in the mood to socialize when they got back…

“But whatever you do today, make sure you all get enough sleep tonight, because tomorrow, we’re having a party!” Mr. Loud continued.

Hearing this surprised Mrs. Loud. “Wha – a _party?_ Lynn, I thought we were going to keep this visit low-key!”

“We _are!_ We’re just having a few people over – the McBrides, Bobby Santiago…”

“And Belle?” Lily asked hopefully.

The color drained from Mr. Loud’s face. “U-Um…” He looked at his wife nervously. “Ye – Uh… N… We-We’ll see, honey,” he said to Lily.

“‘Belle’? Wait, you mean Belle Yates?” Lynn said.

“H-Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, that’s right,” Mr. Loud said. “Belle used to babysit Lily before Terry moved in next door.”

“Why’d she stop?” Leni asked.

Mr. Loud started sweating. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles started turning white. “Um… Uh…” He gulped. “She… She didn’t need the money anymore. Yeah, her parents increased her allowance because the job was cutting into her schedule.”

Most everyone bought that, but just as Lynn was about to ask what he was so nervous about, Mrs. Loud spoke up. “Well, are these people just going to come at such short notice?” she asked.

“Yes, I’ve already called – they cancelled any plans they had and agreed to come tomorrow at noon.”

“Don’t forget to call Belle too, Dad!” Lily reminded him.

Mr. Loud smiled nervously. “I-I won’t!”

“So, just Bobby? What about the other Santiagos and the Casagrandes?” Leni asked.

“Well, honey, Bobby’s got more personal history with us, and…” Mr. Loud glanced at Lincoln. “Well… I didn’t invite Ronnie Anne.”

A hush fell over everyone in the van as they remembered what Ronnie Anne did. For a while, no-one said anything. Then, Lynn folded her arms and quietly said, _“…Good.”_

Lincoln fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He had hardly heard anything about Ronnie Anne the past six years – mostly because he never asked. He didn’t think about Ronnie Anne as often as he did his sisters. His doctors told him that because he didn’t know her his entire life, her betrayal didn’t cut as deep. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Leni’s questions only made Lincoln feel guiltier. “Dad…” she said, “don’t you forgive us?”

“Huh? For –?” Mr. Loud looked at Leni uneasily. “Of… Of course I do!”

“Then why can’t you forgive _her?”_

Mr. Loud cast his gaze downwards. “Be… Because…” He sighed, slumping his shoulders. “…Because she’s just not my daughter.”

Everyone pondered that for a little while. Then, Mrs. Loud changed the subject. “Well… why are we having this party tomorrow? Why not on Christmas Eve?”

“Well, I thought that our guests should have the chance to spend Christmas Eve together with their families.” Mr. Loud looked back at the others. “Just like us.”

The Loud kids exchanged glances with each other. Spending Christmas Eve together, as a _family…_ it sounded nice, yet difficult at the same time. They didn’t want to believe it was impossible, but there was always room for doubt…

“After that, we’ll have Christmas, and then a whole ’nother week until New Year’s, then the girls go back to Canada.” Mr. Loud looked at Lily and Lincoln. “You hear that, you two? Plenty of time to spend with your sisters!”

_“Yay!”_ Lily cheered.

“W… Woohoo…” Lincoln said hesitantly.

Lynn leaned forward. “Okay, Dad, we’ve heard the game plan – now where are we going, eh?”

“Well…” Mr. Loud cleared his throat. “You ready, girls? Rita?”

_“YES! Tell us, already!”_ the girls said.

“Come on, Lynn, stop teasing us!” Mrs. Loud said.

Mr. Loud chuckled nervously. “…Okay, then.” He adjusted the rearview mirror.

“…We’re going to see Pop-Pop.”

The entire van fell silent for a few moments as the news sank in. Some of the sisters exchanged glances. Then, all at once, the van erupted with activity.

_“What?!”_

_“Oh my gosh!”_

“Pop-Pop… We’re going to see _Pop-Pop!”_

“I don’t believe it! After all this time…”

“Dad… He wants to see all of us? _Finally?”_

As the girls buzzed in the front, Terry wondered in the back. “Wait… who’s Pop-Pop, again?” he asked Lincoln.

“My grandfather,” Lincoln said.

“Oh, right. Wait… your _grandfather…?”_

Lincoln folded his arms and stared at the floor, looking melancholic.

The Loud girls (sans Lily) and their mother all continued to chirp excitedly about how they were going to see Pop-Pop again, happy to not only be reunited with him, but to finally be getting some answers from him as well.

Leni turned to Lily, who was sitting beside her, and shook her playfully. “Oh, Lily, we’re going to see Pop-Pop! Isn’t that exciting?”

Lily adopted a pained look. “Um…”

Leni saw the sadness in Lily’s eyes right away, even though they were not looking at her. “Wh… What’s the matter?”

The other girls picked up Leni’s words and looked at Lily. As they read the look on her face, they looked at Lincoln, Terry, and Mr. Loud, and saw that they too were not happy.

“Uh… guys…?” Leni said.

Mr. Loud sighed. “…We’re almost there.”

The girls began to worry as they approached their destination (except Luan, who began sniggering with anticipation). What was wrong? Clearly something unfortunate had happened, but _what?_

Their answer came as Mr. Loud pulled into a parking lot. All the color drained from Mrs. Loud’s face. She, Leni, Lynn, and Lana all looked at Mr. Loud almost pleadingly, silently praying that he had just made a mistake – that it was _all_ a mistake.

But no-one was listening.

Mr. Loud picked the closest open space that he could find, pulled into it, then slowly turned off the car. “…We’re here,” he said.

Mrs. Loud shook her head at him, her mouth frozen in a mirthless smile and tears starting to run down her cheeks. “Honey,” she said, “no… This… This _can’t_ be right…!”

Mr. Loud nodded back at her. “…I’m afraid it is, Rita.”

The smile finally fell from Mrs. Loud’s face, and she stared at the sign of the building in horror:

_St. Christopher’s Community Hospice_

Mrs. Loud hung her head. “Dad… _no…”_

“Wait… I don’t get it…” Leni looked at Mr. Loud. “Why is Pop-Pop in the hospital?”

Choking back laughter, Luan tapped Leni on the shoulder. “N-N- _No,_ L-Leni, y-you don’t underst-stand… _hahaha…”_ She fought to maintain control. “This… This isn’t a _hospital,_ it’s a… _heheheh…_ it’s a _hospice._ Pe-People don’t-don’t come here to get… _treated…”_ She nearly doubled over. “Th… They come here… They come here… _to DIE!”_ Luan broke down in a hysterical laughing fit.

Mr. Loud cast a disturbed look at Mrs. Loud, wondering just what was so funny about all this to her. Leni, meanwhile, was naturally distraught. _“What?!”_ she cried. “Pop-Pop’s _dying?! No!”_

“Dad…” Lynn said, “…what happened?”

Mr. Loud shook his head. “…Cancer. It started in his stomach, but then it spread to his liver, lungs, and bones. We don’t know why he didn’t tell us about it sooner…”

“We… we have to see him like _this?”_ Lana said.

“I’m afraid so, girls.” Mr. Loud turned to face his children. “…This may be your last chance.”

Leni broke down crying, while Luan was practically giddy with amusement. Lynn shared a concerned look with Lana, then nodded at her father. “…We’re ready.”

Mr. Loud pulled the keys out of the ignition. “All right… Come on, everyone. Let’s go.”

The Louds (and Terry) all got out of the van and trudged towards the entrance. As they reached the front door, a thought occurred to Lana.

“Dad…” she said, “…why didn’t you tell us about this earlier?”

Mr. Loud froze. “I… uh…”

Luan slapped Lana on the back. “Aw, come on, Lans! Don’t you get it?” A wide grin was plastered on her face. “Clearly, he wanted it to be a _surprise!”_ She burst out laughing again.

Mr. Loud shook his head. “N-No, it’s just… I… It… _slipped my mind.”_

“‘Slipped your mind’? Dad, how could something like _this_ slip your mind?” Lynn asked.

“W-Well, I mean…” Mr. Loud sighed. “…Okay, look, we didn’t find out about this until just two months ago, when Pop-Pop was admitted here. And, and I was just so focused on bringing you girls home and getting you settled in that it just… _slipped my mind.”_

Lynn shared a glance with Lana, who shrugged. It sounded as good an explanation as any…

Everyone entered the hospice. Inside, everything was neat and tidy, well-lit and well-decorated.

It reminded Leni, Luan, and Lynn of the abortion clinic.

Mr. Loud walked up to the front desk to check in with the receptionist. The others waited anxiously as he did so.

Terry shivered. _“Ugh…_ This place gives me the creeps…”

“Tell me about it,” Lana said. “It’s so quiet here…”

_“Too_ quiet…” Luan said, chuckling. No-one else laughed at her cliché line.

“He’s… He’s _dying?”_ Leni said, her lips quivering. “Pop-Pop’s really dying?”

Lily hung her head slightly, closing her eyes. “…Yeah.”

Leni began to tear up. “No…” Suddenly, she burst into tears. _“No! I can’t… I can’t do this again!”_

Leni ran outside, and Mrs. Loud ran after her. Luan laughed at the sight, while Lynn sighed.

“I’m sorry, guys,” Lynn said, “but after the others died…” She looked at Lily, then Lincoln. “Lily, you were too young to remember Lori, Lucy, Lola, and Lisa. And Lincoln, you knew them, but your memory of them is, well… _tainted.”_ She shook her head. “You don’t really know what it’s like… to lose someone you love.”

Mr. Loud, who had watched the scene Leni had made and was listening, stepped in. “Oh, it’s okay, Lynn, we understand. I mean, after all…” He pulled Lincoln and Lily to his sides by the shoulders. “…we’ve had our share of death on this side of the family, after all.”

Lynn looked at Mr. Loud. _“What?”_

Lincoln was just as confused, until he realized what his father meant. “Oh, he’s, uh… H-He’s talking about the pets. Uh, Charles slipped his leash and got hit by a car, and… Walt and Geo died of old age. I-I know what you mean, Lynn, it’s… it’s not the same. But still…” He folded his arms, sighing. “Still… I miss those guys.”

Lynn and Lana fell silent as they remembered their childhood pets, while Luan just kept on chuckling. Lana realized that one pet was left out. “Hey… what about Cliff?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, uh, Cliff’s still around. He’s just, well, you know… old, and fat, and lazy…”

“Why didn’t we see him when we came back, then?”

“He was probably sleeping in the basement, as usual.” Lily folded her arms, frowning. “I don’t like Cliff.”

Mr. Loud shook Lily gently. “Oh, honey, you didn’t know Cliff when he was younger and friendlier! You were just a baby. And besides, I’ve got a feeling that you’ll still miss him when he’s gone. Remember how you cried when Charles died?”

Lily shrugged. “Kinda…”

“Well, you were young. Still… Still, it’s… it’s not _really_ the same as losing a grandfather, I have to say…” He shrugged, sighing. “Well… I guess it’s just… something we’ll have to deal with…”

After that, everyone fell silent and waited patiently for Leni and Mrs. Loud to return. After a few minutes, they did. Leni’s eyes were red and puffy, and she was still sniffling a little.

Mr. Loud looked at his wife. “…We okay?” he asked.

Mrs. Loud nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“…Okay.” Mr. Loud beckoned to everyone else. “Come on, kids. Pop-Pop’s in room 113.”

The group headed through the hospice, passing by the sick and elderly, drained of life, and the caretakers dedicated to keeping them comfortable during their last days on Earth.

Lynn sighed again. “Lucy would have loved it here…”

Lily turned to her. “Lucy?”

“Yeah, you know – being surrounded by the dying. It’s really morbid – exactly the way Lucy liked it.”

Lily quietly seized the opportunity to find out more about her dead sister. “What… What _else_ did Lucy like?” she asked.

“Oh, you know – the dark, the paranormal, and _especially_ the occult. She’d hold séances, write depressing poetry, sleep in coffins…” Lynn smiled wistfully. “Lucy was really weird, but… that’s what made her _special.”_ She looked at the floor. “She never was the best at communicating, though…”

“With the _living,_ anyways,” Luan chimed in. “She preferred to hang out with the dead – and now she _‘hangs’_ with them _all the time!_ _Hahahahaha!”_

Lynn clenched her hands into fists, growling furiously. Pulling Luan aside, she hissed into her ear, “For the last time, _what_ is the matter with you?! Lucy is _dead!_ Pop-Pop is _dying!_ _How_ can you laugh at _any_ of this?! And for that matter, _why_ did you tell Mom and Lincoln what you did at the Burpin’ Burger?!”

Luan shrugged. “Why _wouldn’t_ I? It’s _funny!”_

Lynn couldn’t make any more sense of her than she ever could, so she gave up trying again. “…You are _fucked up_ , Luan.”

Luan laughed at that. “Are you kidding? I’m one of the precious few that’s _not!”_

Lynn separated from Luan, shaking her head. Everyone else continued watching the two carefully.

“So…” Mr. Loud said, “…mind telling us what that was all about?”

Luan shrugged. “Meh. Nothing important.”

Mr. Loud was about to inquire further, but he was interrupted by Lana (who was leading the pack) stopping in front of a room. “This is it,” she said.

Everyone gathered around the door. Mrs. Loud and the girls wanted to see Pop-Pop, but at the same time, they feared what he would look like. Their nervousness passed from Mr. Loud down to the others until an air of trepidation hung over the entire group. They stood there for several minutes until Mrs. Loud finally worked up the nerve to knock on the door.

“…Dad?” she called quietly.

Everyone stayed silent, listening for a response. Mrs. Loud leaned in towards the door, pressing her ear against the wood. She heard a series of wet coughs, then a weak but unmistakable voice responding, _“…Come in…”_

The girls looked at each other nervously. Mrs. Loud shakily grabbed the doorknob, twisted, and opened the door.

What they saw managed to be even worse than what they imagined.

 Pop-Pop had lost all the weight that had made him appear full of life. His jaundiced skin hung loosely from his broad frame. His mustache had merged into a beard that looked to have grown more out of negligence than style, and his hair had fallen out, leaving him completely bald. Tubes running from various machines through his airways and veins appeared to be the only thing keeping him alive. But worse than any of that was his demeanor. Pop-Pop looked, above all else, _tired._ Tired of having to live through his hardships, both physical and emotional; tired of living, in general.

Pop-Pop looked even older than he was, and he was feeling it.

Mrs. Loud entered the room, approaching her father carefully. “D… Dad…?”

Pop-Pop turned his head so slowly, the family could hardly tell that he was moving. “R… Rita…?” he said. “Girls…?”

Lana stepped forward, beginning to tear up along with Leni and Lynn. “P-Pop-Pop, it’s _us…”_

Pop-Pop reached out – with considerable effort – and beckoned to them. “C… Come closer… My eyes aren’t what they used to be… Let me… Let me see you…”

Seeing her grandfather in such a sorry state caused Leni’s emotions to overwhelm her, and she started crying outright. _“Pop-Pop…!”_

She rushed forwards and embraced Pop-Pop, and Lynn and Lana quickly followed suit. Luan simply rolled her eyes at the whole scene, chuckling to herself.

Although the girls suddenly falling over him and wrapping their arms around him caused no small amount of pain, Pop-Pop didn’t care. He returned the hugs as best he could, weeping happily. “Girls… It’s you… _It’s really you…”_

Mrs. Loud came closer, crying tears of joy as well. _“Dad…”_

Pop-Pop smiled at his daughter. He would have liked to hug her separately, but the girls just wouldn’t let go. So, chuckling (and stifling another series of coughs), he reached out to her, inviting her in. _“Rita…”_

Mrs. Loud joined the group hug, and Terry wrapped his arm around Lincoln, joining him, Lily, and Mr. Loud in enjoying the touching moment.

Pop-Pop and the girls held their embrace for several minutes, holding on tight, as though they were mutually afraid that the other party was not real. Finally, however, the girls and their mother tearfully separated from Pop-Pop.

“Oh… It’s so good to finally see you all again…” Pop-Pop said. “I missed you so much…”

_“We missed you too, Pop-Pop!”_ the girls all said together.

Pop-Pop laughed, but his laughter broke down into a coughing fit. Mrs. Loud and the three girls were right by his side.

“Pop-Pop, are you alright?!” Leni asked.

Pop-Pop fought to get his coughing under control, eventually succeeding. He gulped down a wad of bloody sputum and said, “…If I was, I wouldn’t be here. Now, let me see…” He pointed to each of his lost granddaughters in order. _“Leni… Luan… Lynn…_ and _Lana._ Is that right?”

The girls nodded, impressed. _“Yes!_ That’s right!” Lana said.

Pop-Pop sighed. “Ah, you’ve all grown so much…” He looked around the group. “So, where’s Luna?”

“Oh, she…” Mrs. Loud folded her arms. “…She decided not to come. Too many painful memories, you know.”

“I understand…”

The way he had asked about those absent intrigued Lincoln. “Wait, Pop-Pop,” he said, “do… do you know… about the others…?”

Pop-Pop nodded slowly. “Yes, your dad told me about it a couple weeks ago…” He wheezed. “I know how Lola went missing, and how the others took their own lives… _Heh…_ That makes them braver than me, I guess…” he said under his breath.

“What?”

Pop-Pop coughed. “…Nothing. I’ve had time to come to terms with it, don’t you worry.” He looked down at his wizened, diseased body. “Just like I’ve come to terms with this…”

Mrs. Loud spoke up. “Dad… how did this happen?”

Pop-Pop sighed, sinking into the bed. “…It started about four years ago. Started as just a bit of stomach pain here and there, didn’t think much of it… Then I started losing my strength, feeling nauseous. I thought it was just the flu…” He started coughing again. “…Except the sickness didn’t go away. By the time I found out it was cancer, months later, it was too late… it had spread all across my body…”

As the Loud sisters listened quietly and attentively, Mrs. Loud remembered something Mr. Loud had mentioned earlier. “Dad…” she said, “…Lynn said that you didn’t tell him or the others about this until you were admitted here two months ago. Why not?”

Pop-Pop looked slightly guilty. “I…” He sighed. “…I just didn’t want them worrying about me… And… And, at first, if I had told him… he would have insisted on getting me treatment…”

Mrs. Loud looked confused. “Wh… What do you mean…?”

Pop-Pop sighed again. “Rita…” He looked directly into his daughter’s eyes.

_“…I wanted the cancer to kill me.”_

Luan laughed out loud, while Mrs. Loud and the girls all gasped. _“Pop-Pop!”_ the girls said.

“I _did…_ My daughter and most of my granddaughters were gone – gone into hiding because they had done something terrible to my grandson… something society couldn’t forgive them for. I had no way of contacting them. For all I knew, I would _never_ see them again. And Lincoln, poor little Lincoln, was so torn apart by the whole thing that he lost his dang mind…”

Everyone shifted uncomfortably as they recalled that, Mr. Loud especially so.

“I just couldn’t take it… I genuinely, honestly wanted to _die…_ and if the cancer was going to be the death of me, then I decided to let what had to happen, happen.”

“S-So what changed, Pop-Pop? _What changed?”_ Lynn asked.

Pop-Pop coughed and hacked so hard, he sat up and bent forwards. Taking a fresh tissue from the box on his bed, he spat his bloody mucus into it and disposed of it in the wastebasket next to the bed. He lay back down with a pained groan. “W… Well… I heard from your dad that he was planning on bringing you back home, just for a little while, after Lincoln had recovered. That meant… That meant that I could see you again. So… I started getting treatment. Surgery, chemo, radiotherapy – anything that could buy me time. _Thank God for healthcare…”_ he added as an aside.

“But… the years went by, and the treatments only slowed the cancer down – and it had already spread pretty dang far to begin with. I had almost given up…” He thought about it, then shook his head. “…Ah, who am I kidding? I _had_ given up. That’s why I let them move me here, let them inform Lynn and Lincoln and Lily… All they could do was keep me comfortable as I _died.”_

“And a bang-up job they’re doing of it, too! _Hahahahaha!”_ Luan said.

Mrs. Loud and the other sisters all glared at Luan, but Pop-Pop wasn’t perturbed. “…Well, actually, Luan, I’m off my morphine right now. Got to keep my head clear for this talk. And speaking of…” He took as deep a breath as he could. “…we _really_ need to talk.”

The entire room fell silent. For a time, no-one wanted to be the first to speak. No-one really knew where to start.

Eventually, Lynn sighed, louder than she had meant to. Everyone looked at her. Realizing that she had broken the silence, Lynn knew that she was now expected to speak. Sighing again, she forced herself to make eye contact with her grandfather.

“Pop-Pop…” she said, “…we’re so sorry –”

Pop-Pop held up one hand, silencing her.

“…No. _I’m_ sorry.”

Everyone else was greatly surprised by this, not least of all the girls. Resting his head on his pillow, Pop-Pop continued. “Girls… I’ve read up on all the facts of that incident all those years ago. And… And I know now that you weren’t in control of your actions. But… But when I heard about what happened… when I saw it all over the news… I just…” He shook his head, tears in his eyes. _“…I just couldn’t believe it…”_

The girls nodded understandingly. It was easy not to believe something as outrageous as the incident – when one was not a part of it…

“I… I didn’t _want_ to believe it… And so… And so I shut myself in. Cut off all contact with the outside world. Wouldn’t let anyone else in – not Seymour, not Bernie, not Myrtle, _no-one._ Girls… Lincoln…” Pop-Pop looked at them, full of remorse. “…I’m sorry. I should have been there for you, when you _needed_ me, and… and, I wasn’t…” He started choking up. _“I… I wasn’t…”_

As Pop-Pop sobbed, Mrs. Loud and her children (with the exception of Luan) started sobbing right alongside him. Pop-Pop offered his hand, and the girls laid theirs on it.

Lana, being the closest to Pop-Pop, took his hand and held it to her chest. “I… It’s okay, Pop-Pop…” she said in-between sobs, “…it’s okay…!”

Pop-Pop shook his head. “No… No, it’s not… M-More than anything else, you all needed _love_ and _support,_ and I wasn’t there to give it to you. Maybe…” He uttered a rasping cough. “Maybe if I was… the others would still be here…”

“Don’t say that, Pop-Pop…!” Leni said.

“…Maybe…” Pop-Pop looked at Lincoln. “…Maybe Lincoln wouldn’t have had to –”

“S-See all those therapists?” Mr. Loud said. “Yes, Al, maybe – but let’s not dwell on what could have been, okay?”

Pop-Pop looked at Mr. Loud, who silently communicated to him that he didn’t want to talk about it. Pop-Pop understood. “Well, I just can’t help it… If I had reached out to you sooner, we wouldn’t have had to see each other again like this…” He coughed. “…Look at me. I’m a shell of my former self…”

“Aren’t we all?” Luan said, laughing.

Lynn squeezed Pop-Pop’s hand. “Ignore her, Pop-Pop. It’s… It’s _okay._ We… We’re just so happy to finally see you again, and-and to hear that you don’t blame us for what happened…” She bowed her head, letting the tears fall from her eyes. _“We forgive you…”_

Pop-Pop sniffled and choked. _“I… I love you girls…”_

Mrs. Loud and her daughters all surrounded Pop-Pop, piling on him again. _“We love you too, Pop-Pop…”_

Mr. Loud and his family started crying too, infected with the heart-wrenching emotions of the scene in front of them. Even Luan couldn’t help but shed a tear, though she didn’t stop laughing. And for several minutes, everyone simply cried their hearts out.

But all things had to come to an end. A nurse knocked on the door, then poked her head in. Although she hated to interrupt the moment, she said, “Um, excuse me? I’m sorry, but visiting hours are almost over.”

Pop-Pop composed himself, drying his tears before nodding at the nurse. “…Okay. That’s alright. I’ve said what I wanted to say… well, _almost._ Everyone, I’d like a moment alone with each of you before you leave… starting with you, Rita.”

Everyone else acquiesced, leaving the room and waiting outside.

Once they were alone, Pop-Pop grazed his fingers past the back of Mrs. Loud’s hand.

“…Hey, honeybee,” he said.

Mrs. Loud’s heart twinged as she heard the pet name her father called her by as a child. “…Hi, Daddy.”

Pop-Pop grunted, shifting his position. “…I haven’t got that much time, Rita – for visiting hours, and… and at all. So, I’ll try to make this brief.” He looked into her eyes. “…I’m proud of you, sweetie.”

Mrs. Loud gasped. “Y-You are?”

Pop-Pop smiled. “You stuck by the girls when no-one else would or could. Through all the bad times… they had you. You loved and supported them when everyone else shunned and hated them. That took _strength._ And I… I’m proud of you for that.”

Mrs. Loud was honored by his words, but she couldn’t shake her self-doubt. “But… But the others… Lori and Lucy… Lola and Lisa… I… _I couldn’t stop them from –”_

_“Stop.”_ Pop-Pop grabbed her shoulder with what little strength he had. “Stop right there.” He paused, thinking carefully about his next words. “…Maybe some things are inevitable. And the only thing we can do… is what we can. I could have done something, but I didn’t… while you did everything you could. You helped keep your family together, even when it was apart. And I know you’ll keep at it, no matter what.” He forced Mrs. Loud to look at him.

_“…I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect daughter.”_

Mrs. Loud looked at her father, heaving, trying to keep herself together. She ultimately failed, collapsing into Pop-Pop’s frail arms. She lay on top of him, crying into his chest. Pop-Pop held her there, stroking her hair.

“…I love you, honeybee…”

“I… I love you too, Daddy…”

(…)

Mr. Loud came in next. He knew what they needed to talk about, and so did Pop-Pop.

“Lynn…” Pop-Pop said.

Mr. Loud held up one hand. “I know what you’re going to ask. And… _no._ No, I haven’t told them.”

“Why not?”

Mr. Loud looked ashamed. “I…”

Pop-Pop shook his head. “Lynn, you only did what you thought was best for Lincoln. You were only _helping_ your boy. There’s nothing shameful about that…”

“But there _is_ something shameful about _how_ I helped him,” Mr. Loud retorted. “What will the girls think when I tell them?”

“I can’t say. But you still have to tell them. You owe them that much…”

Mr. Loud sighed. “…I know. And-And I _will,_ don’t worry. After they’ve settled in, I’ll tell them. I just hope they’ll understand…”

“…I hope so, too.”

That appeared to be all Pop-Pop had to say. Somewhat deflated, Mr. Loud started slinking out of the room… but as he reached the door, he heard Pop-Pop call out to him. “…And Lynn?”

Mr. Loud turned back around. “Y-Yes?”

“In any case… thank you for bringing the girls back home, even if it’s just for a little while. Thank you… for letting me make my peace.”

“Ah –! S… Sure, Al… m-my pleasure…”

(…)

After Mr. Loud came Lily. She had been content to see her Pop-Pop from afar, but now he was beckoning her closer. She felt apprehensive – she loved Pop-Pop, but there was an air of death about him. But it was this same pall that reminded her that this may be the last time she may ever see him, and so she willed herself to approach him.

Pop-Pop cupped her cheek in one hand. “Lily… My little Lily…”

Lily leaned into Pop-Pop’s caress, holding his hand to her cheek. “Hi, Pop-Pop…”

“You’ve grown up big and strong these past few years, haven’t you…?”

Lily nodded, smiling. “Mm-hmm…”

“Bet you’re excited to finally meet your sisters after all this time, aren’t you?”

Lily’s smile widened. “Uh-huh!”

He took Lily’s hand. “Can you make them feel welcome here…? Make them part of the family… just like you made Terry part of the family?”

Lily nodded emphatically. “Yes, Pop-Pop! Yes! Of course!”

Pop-Pop coughed, but disguised it as a chuckle. “That’s my girl…”

Lily wasn’t fooled by the disguised cough. “Pop-Pop… isn’t there _anything_ the doctors can do for you to make you better?”

Pop-Pop sighed, slowly shaking his head. “…I’m afraid not, sweetie. This… This is it for me.”

Lily hung her head. Inching forwards, she came to rest her head on Pop-Pop’s chest. _“I’ll miss you, Pop-Pop…”_ she whispered.

Pop-Pop held her gently. “I’ll miss you too, sweetie…”

(…)

Leni was called into the room next. Seeing her in any condition always brought a smile to Pop-Pop’s face. “Oh, Leni,” he said, “my sweet little Leni…”

Leni was still distraught. _“Pop-Pop…”_

Pop-Pop offered her a hug, and she gratefully accepted it. She stayed there for a few minutes, crying into his chest.

_“I… I don’t…!”_ Leni looked up at him. _“I don’t want you to die…!”_

“I know you don’t, sweetie,” Pop-Pop responded. “I don’t want to die either. But this time…  at least you have a chance to say goodbye.”

Leni looked at him quizzically. “Wh… What…?”

“No-one lives forever, Leni. That’s just a fact. But if you _know_ that it’s coming… then you can be _ready_ for it. You can _accept_ it. And that way… it can be made easier for you. Leni…” He made Leni look at him. “Accept this. Let me go. _Say goodbye.”_

Leni looked hesitant. “I-I… I… I… I…” She gulped. “I… I’ll _try…”_

“You can do it. I know you can.” Pop-Pop hugged Leni as tightly as he could. “Go on. Try it.”

Leni clutched the bedsheets. “G… G… G…” She hiccupped, fighting to get it out. _“G… G…”_ She gathered her resolve with one last shuddering breath… then looked Pop-Pop in the eyes.

_“Goodbye… Pop-Pop…”_

Pop-Pop nodded at her, smiling. Leni blinked. It was as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest. She rested her head on Pop-Pop’s chest again. “Goodbye, Pop-Pop…” she repeated, finding the words easier to say this time. _“Goodbye…”_

Pop-Pop stroked his granddaughter’s long golden hair. “…Goodbye, Leni.”

For a few minutes more, Leni let her head lay on Pop-Pop’s chest, letting the tears come to a stop. Finally, she stood up, bade her grandfather goodbye one last time, then prepared to leave.

Just as she was about to do so, however, a thought occurred to her. She turned back around, looking at the ceiling. “…Do you want to say goodbye too, Lori?” she asked.

Pop-Pop looked concerned. “Lori…?”

After a few moments of silence, Leni looked at Pop-Pop. “…Lori says goodbye, too.”

Pop-Pop frowned. “Leni…” he said, “…sooner or later, you’ll have to say goodbye to Lori, too.”

Leni looked at the floor. “I know…”

“Promise me, Leni… Promise me you will…”

Leni hesitated, then slowly nodded. “…Okay…”

Seeing how sad she was, Pop-Pop shrugged. “…Well, for right now, though, tell Lori this isn’t _‘goodbye’_ – it’s _‘see you later’.”_

Leni perked up. She smiled. “…Okay.”

(…)

Lynn was next. She came into the room with a dour look on her face. Pop-Pop initially thought that she was just upset over him, and she _was…_ but he soon realized that that was not the only thing amiss.

“Lynn…” he said, “…come here.”

Lynn reluctantly did so. When she got close enough, Pop-Pop looked straight into her eyes. This made Lynn uncomfortable, and she looked askance, but she did so too late – Pop-Pop realized the problem.

“I know that look,” he said. “You’ve got something to say…”

Lynn sighed. “I _do,_ but I _can’t.”_

“What’s the matter…?”

“It…” Lynn shook her head. “I-I just _can’t,_ okay?! I _can’t…”_

Pop-Pop grunted. “Lynn, I’m _dying._ Anything you tell me… goes with me to the grave.”

Lynn faced away, but then looked in his direction. “…You _promise?”_

Pop-Pop crossed his heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die… _Heheh…”_

Lynn agonized over her decision for several minutes, then finally gave in. “Okay, _fine…_ I’ve been thinking about this since we started planning on coming back here, and… oh, I don’t know where else to turn… I can’t tell Mom or the others, I just _can’t…”_

Pop-Pop shrugged. “That’s what _I’m_ here for…”

Lynn came to the very edge of Pop-Pop’s bed. _“…Promise_ you won’t tell?”

Pop-Pop nodded.

Lynn hesitated once again… then leaned in close and whispered her secret in Pop-Pop’s ear.

Pop-Pop listened to her, then watched her pull away and await his response. He wouldn’t judge her for it – that wasn’t what she needed right now. Instead, he simply said, “Is that so…”

Lynn nodded, ashamed. “I don’t know what to do…”

In truth, Pop-Pop didn’t know, either. He took Lynn’s hand, and Lynn squeezed his in turn…

(…)

Terry waited in the hallway with the others while Lynn visited Pop-Pop. A nurse came up to the Loud family.

“Excuse me,” the nurse said, “but I’m afraid visiting hours are over. If you would all please follow me…?”

Mr. Loud confronted the nurse. “Look,” he said, “this is the first time my wife and daughters have seen their grandfather in _years._ For all we know, this might be the last time _any_ of us see him _ever again._ So, _please…!”_

The nurse looked around at the Louds’ pleading faces, and relented. “…I can give you ten more minutes.”

“That should be enough. Thank you.”

Just as the nurse left, Lynn came out of the room. “…Terry?” she said. “Pop-Pop wants to see you next.”

Terry stopped leaning against the wall, surprised. _“Me?”_

Lynn shrugged. “That’s what he said.”

Terry looked at Lincoln, who also shrugged. Still feeling unsure, Terry entered the room.

“Um… sir?” he said. “You… wanted to see me?”

Pop-Pop smiled at him. “Terry…” he said. “Come closer…”

Terry came to Pop-Pop’s bedside, and Pop-Pop put a hand on his shoulder. “Terry…” Pop-Pop said, “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Terry blinked, somewhat taken aback. “F-For what?”

“Why, you’ve taken care of Lily, Lynn, Sr., and especially Lincoln all these years, haven’t you…?”

Terry chuckled. “What, _that?_ Come on, it’s nothing, really…”

“Oh, don’t be so modest. You’ve been an invaluable pillar of support for all three of them after what happened. Without you, they might just have fallen apart as a family…”

Terry shook his head. “Oh, no, come on, _really…”_

“I mean it.” Pop-Pop put his hand on the back of Terry’s neck. “…Can I trust you to keep taking care of them after I’m gone…?”

“I –!” Terry started. “I… O-Of course, sir…”

“Call me ‘Pop-Pop’.” He patted Terry on the shoulder. “So, kiddo? This family’s gonna be tripling in size soon – will you be a part of it…?”

Terry paused, then nodded solemnly. “…I will, Pop-Pop.”

“…Good.” He looked out the window which the bed was just under, watching the snow fall. “…Terry?”

“Yes, si – uh, Pop-Pop?”

“I don’t know if you still believe in that stuff, but…” Pop-Pop coughed, then looked at Terry. “…will you say a prayer for me? For… For _all_ of us…?”

Terry closed his eyes. He _didn’t_ believe in “that stuff” anymore – at least, not in the way he used to – but if that was what Pop-Pop needed, then there was nothing else to be done.

“…Sure, Pop-Pop. Sure.”

Terry knelt by Pop-Pop’s bedside, taking his hand, and bowed his head. Drawing on the memories of every prayer his father had ever recited, he asked God to bless and watch over Pop-Pop, to accept him into His kingdom, and to watch over the rest of his family on Earth…

(…)

Luan came in after Terry. Before Pop-Pop could utter a single word, she spoke up. “Hey, Pop-Pop, can I ask you something?”

Pop-Pop shrugged. “Well, you just _did…”_

Luan burst out laughing. _“Hahahahaha!_ Good one, Pop-Pop! _Hahahahaha…_ _Ah…_ So, tell me, Pop-Pop – will you love me until your dying breath…?”

Pop-Pop nodded. “Of _course_ I will, Luan…”

Luan snapped her fingers. _“Dang it!_ That means I’ve only got a few more days, haven’t I? _Hahahahaha!”_

Although Luan was laughing, Pop-Pop was completely serious. “Luan…” he said, “…I know what you’re doing…”

That surprised Luan. “You _do?”_

“…And I also know that it’s not healthy.”

“Don’t try to give me advice like you _know me!”_ Luan snapped. “Do you know who I am?! I’m _Luan Loud!_ I bring the funny – _all day, EVERY day!”_

Despite Luan’s outburst, Pop-Pop had nothing but sympathy in his eyes. “Luan –”

“No, _you_ listen to _me,_ you old _fart!_ You can lie to yourself all you want – it’s _your_ life! Your _miserable, soon-to-be-ended_ life! Me? I know the truth – and now that I do, there’s no going back!” She stretched her arms out in revelation. “I have seen the light – and it is _hilarious.”_

Pop-Pop listened to her rant patiently. “…Is that _really_ what you think?” he said when she was finished.

“It’s not what I _think_ – it’s what I _know,”_ she answered.

Pop-Pop shook his head sadly. “I can’t imagine that attitude has won you many friends…”

Luan shook _her_ head proudly. _“Nope!_ Hasn’t won me much _family,_ either! _Hahahahaha! Ah…_ They just don’t get the joke…”

“Then _explain_ it to them, if you’re so convinced of this ‘truth’…”

Luan looked at her grandfather incredulously. “What, are you _kidding?_ Then there’d be no joke at all! _Hahahahaha!”_

(…)

Lana was called in after Luan. With a somber expression, she came to Pop-Pop’s side and held his hand. “…Hey, Pop-Pop,” she said.

“Hey, kiddo.” He stroked her long blonde hair, admiring her. “…You’ve gotten a lot prettier since I saw you last, haven’t you…?”

Lana brushed her hair over her ear. “You think so…?”

“If I didn’t know that she was gone, I might have confused you for Lola…”

Lana frowned. “That’s… _nice,_ I guess…”

After a few moments of silence, Lana realized that Pop-Pop was staring at her in wonder. “…What?”

Pop-Pop coughed, spitting out and disposing of some bloody phlegm before answering. “Well, how about that…? The Lana I used to know would’ve been insulted if she’d been mistaken for her twin sister. Could it be… that you’re growing up?”

Lana chuckled nervously. _“Heh…_ w-well, _maybe_ –”

“Or _maybe…_ there’s something bothering you…?”

Lana’s head jerked up to meet Pop-Pop’s gaze. “Wh- _What?_ N-No, I…”

Pop-Pop pulled her in for a hug. “It’s okay, kiddo… You can be honest with me… Nothing you say will ever leave this room…”

Lana allowed Pop-Pop to hug her, and when the hug broke, she saw his reassuring look. She hung her head and sighed. “…How did you know?” she asked.

“When you’ve lived as long as I have… met as many people… you learn a few things.” He patted the side of the bed, and Lana sat on it. “So… the Lana I knew would have been insulted. But _that,_ back there… I don’t know what _that_ was. What’s the matter, sweetie?”

Lana cast her gaze to the floor. “I…” She shook her head. “…I just _don’t know,_ okay?! On the one hand, I’m happy to hear that you think I’m pretty. But on the other hand… I…” She hesitated. _“I…”_

“What?”

Lana growled, then spat it out. “I-I don’t like being compared to Lola, okay?! Y-You tell me that you _almost_ mistook me for her, and… _and…!”_ She pounded her fists on the bed. _“Ugh!”_

Pop-Pop arched an eyebrow. “Well, it sounds to me like you _wanted_ to be mistaken for her…”

Lana looked at him out of the corner of her eye, then huffed angrily – she hated the way he knew her better than she knew herself. “S-So what if I _did,_ huh?! Would that be so _wrong?_ We’re _twins,_ for crying out loud!”

“Yes, but _Lana_ Loud is an entirely different girl than _Lola_ Loud…”

“Well, if _I’m_ Lana, then _who’s going to be Lola?!”_

Lana burst into tears, and Pop-Pop rubbed her back consolingly as she cried. After a few minutes, she cried herself out. Once she had calmed down, Pop-Pop said, “…Listen, Lana, I understand that you want to keep Lola’s memory alive. But you don’t have to do it like _this._ Lola will _always_ live on – in _here…_ and in _here…”_ He pointed to her heart, then her brain.

Lana sighed. “I’d rather have her be right _here…”_ She patted the side of the bed next to her.

“So do I, sweetie. But there’s nothing we can do about that. And besides, you weren’t the only one to know Lola. There’s your mom and dad, Lincoln and your sisters…”

“But _I’m_ her twin – _I_ knew her the best!”

“So you did. But that doesn’t mean you have to emulate her… You’ve got pictures, videos… Heck, your _memories_ would be enough…”

Lana sulked. “Maybe I don’t _want_ the memories…”

“…Now why would you say something like _that?”_

Lana finally looked straight at Pop-Pop. “You _know_ I used to argue and fight with Lola a lot, don’t you?”

Pop-Pop nodded. “Yes… and I _also_ know that despite it all, you two loved each other very much. Lana, think about it. For every bad memory of Lola… there are at least two good ones, aren’t there?”

Lana folded her arms and grumped, not answering. Pop-Pop sighed. “Look, Lana, you know what I’m trying to say. I know you miss Lola…  and I know you’re terrified of forgetting about her. But you won’t, _ever._ You don’t need to change who you are to remember her.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Remember – you’re Lana Loud, and you’re one of a kind.”

_Not really,_ Lana thought. Despite her last stubborn attempts to cling to her old methods, Pop-Pop’s words rang true, giving her strength. She placed her hand over his. “…Thanks, Pop-Pop.”

(…)

Finally, it was Lincoln’s turn. The touching reunion moment now since passed, he looked at his grandfather’s pitiful state and wept.

“What’s the matter, Lincoln…?” Pop-Pop asked as Lincoln approached.

Lincoln sniffled, drying his eyes. “I… I just…” He gulped. “I just hate seeing you like this…”

“We’ve all gotta go sometime, kiddo – and if you ask me, I’m long overdue…” Pop-Pop coughed and hacked. “So, that aside… how’re you feeling?”

Lincoln shook his head and sighed. “I… I don’t know…”

Pop-Pop chuckled. “Still getting used to having them back…?”

Lincoln nodded. “Uh-huh…”

“Hey…” Pop-Pop put his hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. “…it’s alright, Lincoln. I know how you feel.”

Lincoln was starting to become annoyed by everyone telling that to him. He glared at Pop-Pop. _“Do_ you? Do you _really?”_

Pop-Pop looked downcast. “…I _do.”_

“How? _How_ do you know?”

Pop-Pop hesitated. He wondered if he should tell him the truth. He wondered if telling the truth would truly make things better. He wondered if Mrs. Loud and the girls would understand – understand why he really cut himself off from the rest of the world; just how the incident touched a nerve, unearthing inner demons he thought he had conquered long ago…

(…)

The year was 1959. It was a rainy Saturday in April, and that meant ten-year-old Albert was stuck inside the house. His father was at work, but as long as his mother was looking after the house, he was safe.

But it was not to last. As Albert lay on his stomach, watching TV, he heard the words that filled him with dread:

“Kids! I’m heading out!”

Albert immediately got up and rushed to the front door, where his mother was putting on a raincoat and galoshes. He grabbed her hand. “Wh-Wh-Where are you going, Mom?” he asked.

“Over to the Averys’,” his mother replied. “Mr. Avery invited me over for a… chat.”

“W-Well, can’t you have a chat with him some other time?”

Albert’s mother stooped down to his level. “No, sweetie, it has to be today. Mrs. Avery is out of the house, and she doesn’t like having me over. Besides, I don’t want to be rude to Mr. Avery…”

_“Please,_ Mom, I want you to stay… I-I get _lonely…”_

Albert’s mother kissed him on the cheek. “I know you do, sweetie, but Mommy has a life of her own, you know?” She stood up. “And don’t worry, you won’t be home alone.”

That’s what Albert was afraid of.

Albert’s mother came to the foot of the stairs. _“Ruthie!”_ she called. _“Come down here!”_

_“Coming!”_ Ruth called back.

In a few moments, Albert’s twelve-year-old older sister was downstairs. “Yes, Mommy?”

“I’m going over to the Averys’ house, so you’re in charge until I get back.” She cupped Ruth’s face in her hands. “Can I trust you to take care of Albie while I’m gone, sweetie?”

Ruth smiled sweetly. “Of _course,_ Mommy! Don’t you worry!” She looked at Albert. “I’ll take _good_ care of him…”

Despite his best attempts to control himself, Albert shuddered upon hearing those words.

_“Oh…”_ Ruth’s mother kissed her forehead. “I love you, pumpkin.”

“Love you too, Mommy!” Ruth replied.

Albert and Ruth’s mother took out an umbrella from the umbrella stand and hugged Albert goodbye. “Love you, Albie!”

“L-Love you too, Mom…”

The kids’ mother opened the front door and unfolded the umbrella. “I’ll be back in an hour or so, kids!” she said as she left.

Albert watched his mother go, hiding his despair, then turned back to Ruth full of dread. It was Saturday; there was no school. It was raining; he couldn’t go outside. And he had failed to arrange a playdate with any of his friends; there was no hiding at their houses.

He was stuck inside, with Ruth. And that only meant one thing.

Albert laughed nervously, hoping beyond hope that today would be different. “S-So…” he said, “I-I’m just, uh… gonna go watch TV… a-and –”

“TV? _Boring.”_ Ruth grinned at him. “Come on, Albie – let’s play together!”

Albert’s fragile hope was shattered. He should have seen this coming – and in a way, he had. Ruth had the face of an angel, and she acted like one around their parents. But alone together, on days like this… Albert saw her true face.

“P- _Play?”_ Albert tugged at his collar. “Uh… W-What do you wanna play?”

Ruth held her hands behind her back, giving him a half-lidded look. “Oh, you know what I wanna play, Albie…”

All of a sudden, she took his hand and tugged him up the stairs to her room. After drawing her curtains shut and locking the door (just to be safe), she leaned against the door, looking at Albert and biting her lip.

_“Let’s play ‘grownup’.”_

Albert watched with apprehension as Ruth undid her pigtails and pulled her dress over her head. This had been going on for months, now. It all started one night, when Ruth woke up from a nightmare. She went to her parents’ room to seek comfort from her mother (as her father was working late again), and found her mother and Mr. Gunnison from next door wrestling naked with each other. She watched them through a crack in the door, then told her older friend, Mary-Beth, about it the next day. Mary-Beth told her that that was a game that only grownups played, and Ruth’s curiosity being what it was, she simply _had_ to know what it was about. Finding out that it required a boy and a girl, she picked the closest boy she had access to – her little brother, Albert – and repeated what she saw that night with him.

Ruth thought it was great fun, but Albert didn’t enjoy it as much – for whatever reason, it just felt _wrong._ But playing ‘grownup’ for the first time awakened something in Ruth. Disregarding Albert’s distaste for the game, she started demanding that they play it whenever they got the chance (in secret, as Mary-Beth had warned Ruth that she would be in “big trouble” if an adult caught her playing it). And the more demanding Ruth became, the less Albert enjoyed the game.

And now, playing ‘grownup’ filled Albert with revulsion and horror, and he hated it – not that Ruth cared. “Come on,” she said, pulling off his suspenders, “you get naked, too!”

Feeling her touch sent a chill up Albert’s spine. He had to resist this somehow. “R-R-Ruth,” he said, “w-w-why do we have to play ‘grownup’? Wh-Why can’t we play a different game, l-like checkers, o-or Go Fish, or-or Chutes and Ladders…?”

“‘Cause I don’t wanna.” She tugged down his pants. “And now’s our chance to play ‘grownup’. So c’mon!”

Albert shook his head, starting to cry. “I-I don’t wanna play this game…”

Ruth’s smile disappeared. “Well I _do,”_ she said, anger starting to creep into her voice. “So take your clothes off already!”

“B-But _Ruthie –!”_

Ruth snarled. “Mom put _me_ in charge while she’s gone, so _you_ have to do what _I_ say! And _I_ say, _we’re playing ‘grownup’!”_

She started undoing the buttons on his shirt, but Albert grabbed her wrists. _“NO!”_ he cried.

Ruth pulled her hands out of his grasp, and Albert cringed, expecting her to retaliate. But when no attack came, he carefully opened his eyes to see her… _smiling_ at him. That smile frightened him even more than a glare would have.

Chuckling softly, Ruth slowly flounced around to Albert’s side, laying a hand on his shoulder. _“Albieee…”_ she cooed into his ear. “If you don’t play ‘grownup’ with me…” She grasped his private parts, making him wince. “…then I’ll tell Mom and Dad about _alllll_ the places you’ve _touched me.”_

Albert’s eyes darted open and towards Ruth, who was giving him a sinister look. “B-B-B-But…” he stuttered, “…B-B-But what about all the places _you’ve_ touched _me?”_

Ruth’s expression didn’t change. “Who’s Mom and Dad going to believe? I’m the _oldest,_ and the _nicest,_ and the _most reliable._ If I tell them that you forced me to play ‘grownup’ with you, they’ll believe me. And then you’ll be in trouble.” Her grip on his manhood tightened as she leaned in close to his ear. _“So. Much. Trouble.”_ She backed away, folding her arms. “Now… you know what to do.”

Albert shivered. He knew she was right. And if his father found out about this from Ruth… he’d beat him. Not just on his butt, and maybe not even with the belt.

Albert sagged, defeated. There was no way out. Slowly, he started undoing his shirt, crying all the time.

“Oh, Albie, stop crying!” Ruth said, pulling down her underwear. “All I want to do is play with my little brother – is there anything wrong with that?”

(…)

Back in the present, Pop-Pop opened his eyes. No doubt his childhood experience had scarred him – he had stayed with his mother after his parents divorced, and later joined the Army, just to get away from Ruth. But then he thought about how both their lives had progressed past that point, and he shook his head. Ruth had been punished for her actions – every man she had ever been with saw her for who she truly was, her good looks abandoned her, and in the end, she was left old and alone with no-one but cats for company. And he had gone on to have a family and a long, fulfilling life. He didn’t want his daughter or grandkids to despise Ruth, either – for all her faults, she was still family, and they were all she had in the world, even if she didn’t appreciate them as much as he did. And besides, the incident was different – the girls had no control over their actions and deeply regretted them, unlike Ruth.

Pop-Pop ultimately decided against telling Lincoln the truth. Some secrets had to be taken to the grave.

“Well, Pop-Pop?” Lincoln demanded.

Pop-Pop sighed. “Lincoln…” he said, “…you know I was in ‘Nam, don’t you?”

Lincoln looked at him, puzzled at this change of topic. “Y-Yes…?”

“When people in America hear ‘Vietnam’, what do they think of…?”

Lincoln thought about it. “…Death? Pointless death and destruction?”

Pop-Pop nodded. “But most of them were lucky enough to not have _seen_ that death and destruction firsthand…” He coughed heavily. “Lincoln… I know it’s not the same. But it’s close enough, isn’t it…? Experiencing things that no man should ever experience… it _changes_ you. There’s no doubt about that.” He gave Lincoln’s shoulder a squeeze.

“…But it doesn’t have to _break_ you.”

Lincoln looked at Pop-Pop, surprised. Pop-Pop continued, “Lincoln… we’re similar in more ways than just our hair.” Both of them chuckled at that. “I saw things in ‘Nam that changed me for life… and I still went on to have a happy life – had a wife that I loved, a daughter that I love… and eleven grandchildren that I all love. I moved on from the bad times… because I’m _strong_ like that. And so are _you.”_ Pop-Pop smiled at Lincoln. “I _know_ you can get over that incident, Lincoln. I _know_ it. All you have to do… is let _them_ back in. Can you do that, Lincoln…? Can you do that… for _me…?”_

Lincoln’s teeth started chattering. “I-I… _I…”_ He sighed. “…I’ll _try…”_

_“No._ Try not. _Do._ Or do not. There is no _‘try’.”_

Lincoln’s head jerked up, and he and Pop-Pop both laughed at the reference to a movie they both loved. After they had had a good laugh, Pop-Pop said, “Really, though…”

Lincoln closed his eyes, then nodded. “…Okay, Pop-Pop. I will.”

Pop-Pop beamed at Lincoln. “Thank you, Lincoln…” He pulled his grandson in for a hug.

Lincoln began to sob on Pop-Pop’s shoulder. “I… I love you, Pop-Pop…”

Pop-Pop began to cry, too. “I love you too, kiddo…”

“I… I’ll miss you…”

“…I’ll miss you, too…”

Grandfather and grandson stayed there, holding each other and crying softly, for several minutes, then finally, reluctantly separated. Pop-Pop groaned, leaning back onto the bed.

_“Oof…”_ he grunted, “…that was quite a bone-cruncher. Boy, you sure have grown up big and strong, Lincoln…! Hardly seems like yesterday that you were just a scrawny eleven-year-old boy…”

Lincoln rubbed the back of his neck. _“Heh… Heh, heh, heh…”_

(…)

It was over. Pop-Pop had said everything he needed to say, and now it was time to go. The entire family was called in.

“Is… Is that it, then…?” Mrs. Loud asked tearfully.

Pop-Pop nodded sadly. “…That’s it…”

Mr. Loud chuckled awkwardly. _“Heh…_ Just in time… the staff was just about ready to throw us out…”

Everyone shared a good-natured chuckle, then Mrs. Loud urged her children onwards. “Okay then, kids,” she said, “say goodbye to Pop-Pop…”

The kids all surrounded Pop-Pop, kissing and hugging him goodbye one last time, and he bade them farewell in turn. Terry hugged Pop-Pop goodbye himself, then it was the parents’ turn.

Mrs. Loud hugged and kissed her father. _“Goodbye, Dad…”_ she whispered.

Pop-Pop hugged her back. _“Goodbye, honeybee…”_

Mr. Loud hugged Pop-Pop. “Goodbye, Al…”

“Goodbye, Lynn. Take care of Rita for me, huh…?”

Mr. Loud chuckled, as those were the same words Pop-Pop had said to him when he asked for his blessing to marry Mrs. Loud. “I will.”

The family stood there, hesitating, for another minute more. Then, Mrs. Loud sighed. “Well… all right, everyone… _time to go.”_

The Louds turned to leave, waving and bidding Pop-Pop goodbye yet again.

 “Goodbye, everyone,” Pop-Pop said. “And hey…”

Everyone stopped.

_“…Merry Christmas.”_

As the words sank in, smiles spread across everyone’s faces. _“…Merry Christmas, Pop-Pop,”_ they all said together.

Luan opened the door. Everyone said goodbye one last time… then left.

Pop-Pop lay quietly in bed, all alone. He stared at the ceiling, smiling. Finally, at long last, after years of regret and worry that he would not live to see his daughter and granddaughters again…

Finally, he was at peace with himself.

Pop-Pop closed his eyes, breathing slowly.

_Lori… Lucy… Lisa… maybe Lola…_ he thought. _Girls… don’t worry… I’ll be with you soon…_


	17. Calm Before The Storm

The Louds drove back to the house in silence. Even Luan ceased her incessant giggling. Everyone felt conflicted over what had just transpired. On the one hand, they had finally seen Pop-Pop again and made peace with him. On the other hand, they had done so when he was on the verge of death. The conflicting emotions raged inside them all, ultimately leaving them stymied when they finally arrived home.

The Louds all got out of the van, went inside, flopped down on the couch (or in Lincoln's case, in the armchair) without saying a word, and sat there for the longest time.

The minutes crawled by. Finally, Lynn decided to break the silence. "So…" she said, "…now what?"

No-one had an answer to that, although they all started thinking one up. A minute passed, and eventually, Lily was the first one to have an idea.  _"Ooh!_  I know!" she said. She grabbed the remote control. "Let's watch the  _Pretty Pony Princess_  Christmas special!"

Everyone else looked at each other. For lack of an idea of something else to do at the moment, they shrugged and agreed, to Lily's glee. She turned on the TV, found the Christmas special in the DVR, and played it.

As the show started, Lynn scratched her head. "So, is this show like  _Princess Pony?"_  she asked.

"Actually, this show  _is_   _Princess Pony,"_  Lana said. "They renamed the brand."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm… How did you know that?" Luan asked.

Lana blushed. "Um…"

Luan and Lynn sat up, suddenly interested.  _"What?"_

Lana looked away, shifting her jaw.  _"Don't laugh."_

That alone made the two of them start snickering. "No promises…" Luan said.

Lana growled angrily. "In that case, I'm not telling you!"

Lynn, who was sitting next to Lana, caught her in a headlock and prepared to give her a noogie. "You'd  _better,_  if you know what's good for you!"

Lana struggled to free herself from Lynn's grip, but she was too strong. As Lynn rubbed her knuckles roughly against Lana's scalp, Lana gave in.  _"Argh…!_ All right,  _all right! Enough!_  I'll talk!"

She rubbed her neck as Lynn released her, sighing. "I… watch  _Pretty Pony Princess."_

Lily was overjoyed to find out that one of her sisters was a fellow fan. She paused the recording, but before she could launch into a discussion about all things  _Pretty Pony Princess,_  Luan and Lynn started laughing. "Oh, give me a break!" Lana said. "You know, this franchise has moved on from its  _'girly froo-froo'_  stage! Ever since that new animator lady, Laura Goethe, took over, this show's gotten a lot more mature! I mean, it's got solid humor, fun adventures and plotlines, relatable characters, and appreciable themes!"

Neither Lynn nor Luan were convinced, and they continued to laugh. Lana rolled her eyes. "Just watch this episode, you'll see what I'm talking about…"

Lynn scoffed.  _"Tch!_  I doubt it. I saw that one  _Princess Pony_  book you fished out of the toilet that one time. Remember that? I mean, that book was  _diabetes-inducingly_  sweet." She chuckled. "Speaking of, despite, you know… everything that's happened… I still can't believe Lincoln used to read  _Princess Pony."_

Lincoln's expression darkened. He briefly wondered if he should tell them, but quickly decided to. After all, she was dead – what did she care?

"…I  _didn't,"_  he said. "Lucy did."

That stopped Lynn dead in her tracks. "Wh…  _What…?"_

"Lucy was the one who read that book. Lucy was the one who flushed it down the toilet to avoid getting caught. It was  _Lucy."_

The older Loud sisters all gawked at Lincoln. "That's…  _impossible,"_  Lynn said. "Lucy would never –!"

"She told me so herself – even she needed a break from the darkness every now and then. But she knew she would be mocked by you guys if you found out – just like you mocked me. Just like you just mocked Lana. I knew she couldn't handle that. That's why  _I_  took the blame,  _and_  the ridicule,  _and_  the punishment."

Lynn sank into her seat. Was that part of the reason why Lucy killed herself? "Sh… She… couldn't…"

Lincoln sighed. "…No. And you know what? I thought I  _could._  But there's only so much a guy can take…" He chuckled bitterly. "It's mockery like that… mockery  _I_  couldn't handle… that chased me out of the house that night… that brought me to the park… to the  _fountain…"_

Luan suppressed her laughter; Lily was confused. Everyone else was dead silent.

"L… Linky…" Leni said.

Lincoln got up. "…If anyone needs me, I'll be in my room."

"But what about  _Pretty Pony Princess?"_  Lily asked.

Lincoln sighed again. "Lily, I'm sorry, but… I don't like  _Pretty Pony Princess,_  or  _Princess Pony."_

He turned and went up the stairs to his room.

In his room, Lincoln sat in his beanbag chair and started brooding. The way he said that, it was unclear whether he was blaming the girls or himself for the cause of the incident. His doctors always told him that it was EROS Industries' fault, but he remembered what Lisa said – without someone bonded to it, the pheromone was inert. Someone had to be unfortunate enough to come into contact with it to affect others… and that someone happened to be  _him._  Why? Because his sisters had driven him out of the house with their taunts and their laughter? Or because he, who prided himself on being thick-skinned, let himself falter long enough to be hurt by said taunts and laughter? And over such a trivial thing…

Well, if Lincoln  _was_  so upset by his sisters, couldn't he have hidden his shame in his room? If not, could he have gone somewhere other than the park for a breath of fresh air? Did he really  _need_  a breath of fresh air? He closed his eyes, musing on the possibilities… only to be startled out of his reverie by a tap on the shoulder.

Lincoln turned to see that it was his father. Frowning, he said, "Dad, come on – have you ever heard of knocking?"

"I  _did_  knock," Mr. Loud retorted. "You didn't hear me."

Lincoln sighed. "…What is it?"

"Son, Lily is downstairs, bonding with her sisters. Why aren't  _you?"_

Lincoln sighed, shaking his head. "Okay, Dad, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't hear me back there. I don't like  _Pretty Pony Princess,_  okay?"

"Well, not all of your sisters do, either, son, but  _they're_ down there, spending time with Lily and Terry. Why aren't you with them?"

Lincoln set his jaw. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that I had to spend  _every waking moment_  with my sisters while they're here…"

Mr. Loud shook his head. "I… No, son, I… You don't understand, I just want you to spend some time with them…"

"And I  _will._  Dad, we've got the whole holiday season ahead of us. That's at least nine days –  _plenty_  of time. What's wrong with having a little time to myself?"

Mr. Loud didn't answer, but Lincoln saw the look on his face. "…Dad, if you've got something to say, then just say it."

Mr. Loud rubbed the back of his head. "It… It's just…" He sighed. "It's just that… you seem to have a  _lot_  of time to yourself…"

Lincoln grimaced. He knew his dad was right – Lincoln didn't socialize as much as most of his peers, and not nearly as much as he himself used to. But knowing that that critique was accurate didn't make it any less biting – if anything, it only made it bite more. "…I know, Dad. I know. But… just don't worry, all right? I'll spend time with them, I swear…"

Mr. Loud looked at his son, then shook his head again. He didn't want to force the issue. "All right, son." He turned to leave, but then remembered something. "Oh, and before I go… I just wanted to tell you how proud I was of you back there."

Lincoln was taken aback. "P- _Proud?_  Of what?"

"You showed the others just how wrong it is to tease each other for their interests and hobbies. That's good." Mr. Loud smiled. "You… You acted like a good brother back there."

Lincoln rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. He honestly hadn't thought that what he said had done much good. "Y-You think so?"

"Mm-hmm." Mr. Loud opened the door. "Just goes to show how much progress you've made…" He turned to face Lincoln as he backed into the hallway. "…and how much progress you're  _making."_

He closed the door, leaving Lincoln alone in his room. He looked around, seeing how alone he was, as a mixture of pride and shame filled him. He looked at his phone, ready to play music for him, and only him.

_"'Progress',_  huh…"

(…)

The next hour passed quietly – well, perhaps "quiet" was not the best description of it for Lincoln, as he whiled the time away sitting at his computer, listening to music, and meditating. The doctors recommended these tracks to him, always going on about how therapeutic music could be – and they may very well have been right, as Lincoln found himself drifting calmly in a serene void as the sounds of How To Disappear Completely gently droned into his ears. Funny name for a music group.

And… it perfectly described what Lincoln wanted to do, sometimes.

Once again, however, Lincoln was snapped back to reality by someone shaking him gently. He paused the music player, removed his headphones, and looked up at the one who interrupted him.

It was Terry. "Hey, Lincoln," he said. "Sorry to bother you."

"It's okay, Terry," Lincoln replied. "What is it?"

Terry started drumming his fingers on the desk. "Well, me and the girls were just about to start a game of poker, and we were just wondering if you wanted to join us?"

Lincoln sighed, swiveling his chair to face Terry. "Terry… did Dad tell you what I said to him earlier?"

Terry shook his head. "No, he didn't."

Lincoln took a deep breath, then continued calmly. "Well, I told him that I would have plenty of time to spend with the girls over winter break, so I can afford to allow myself some time alone. Okay?"

Terry scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, well… okay, but I just thought that, you know… this could be something we could enjoy together, you know? Something to bond over."

"We could do that another time, Terry. Don't worry."

"I'm  _not_  worried, Lincoln. I just thought…" Terry sighed. "I-I mean, I know today has been kind of heavy, so… I just thought… we could use this opportunity to unwind,  _together."_

Lincoln shook his head, waving Terry's worries off. "No, no, it has nothing to do with that – I just want to enjoy some time alone right now, is all…"

Terry sighed again. "…Okay, Lincoln. Okay. I understand."

He started to leave, and Lincoln, satisfied, turned back to the computer. Before he could put his headphones back on, though, he heard Terry say:

"Just… don't forget about your happy place, okay?"

Lincoln stopped dead in his tracks as the realization hit him again. Of course – how could he have forgotten? His  _happy place…_

For a few moments, he wavered between his two choices, until he finally made one. He stood up and exited into the hallway, going down the stairs to the dining room.

"Sorry, girls," he heard Terry say as he came to the foot of the stairs, "looks like Lincoln won't be joining us."

He heard the girls express their disappointment. Wearing a little, grin, he stepped out into the open. "Actually," he said, "he'll be joining you after all."

The girls all turned to him, lighting up.  _"Lincoln!"_

Lincoln nodded awkwardly at them, then turned to Terry, who was smiling at him warmly. "I saved you a spot, partner," Terry said, patting the chair next to him.

As Lincoln took his seat, Lana said, "Lincoln, you… you  _came._  You actually came…"

Lincoln chuckled. "Well,  _sure._  It's just a game. Why is that so surprising?"

"Because you came to  _us,"_  Leni said. "To play with us…"

Lincoln looked at Terry and shrugged, and Terry shrugged back. "Okay, well," Terry said, shuffling the deck of cards, "the name of the game is Texas hold 'em poker, ladies and Lincoln."

"Why do they call it  _'Texas hold 'em'?"_  Leni asked.

"Because you're supposed to speak in a Texan accent while you hold your cards!  _Duh!"_  Luan replied.

"Really?"

Although Lynn, like the others, was amused, she still spoke up. "Um,  _no,_  Leni. Not really."

Leni pouted and glared at Luan, who laughed out loud.

Lily raised her hand. "Ooh!  _Ooh!"_

"Yes…  _Lily?"_  Terry said.

Lily looked embarrassed. "Um…" She fidgeted in her seat. "How… How do you play this game?"

As Terry explained the rules of Texas hold 'em to Lily, Lincoln glanced at his other sisters – and noticed something different about one of them.  _"Oh!_  Lana…"

Lana looked at him. "Huh?"

"You, uh…" Lincoln pointed at her hair. "You… changed your hair?"

_"Oh!_  Uh,  _heh,_  yeah…" Lana combed her fingers through her ponytail. "I just, y'know… felt like doing something different, is all…" Her lips curved upwards. "I, uh… I'm… surprised you noticed…"

Lincoln nodded. "I like it. It, uh, seems more, uh…  _you."_

Lana gasped quietly, and her eyes widened almost imperceptibly. She stole a quick glance at Lincoln before she looked away, smiling.

"O M  _Gosh,_  Linky, you are  _totes_  right!" Leni added. "Lana, that look is so  _you!"_

_"Heh, heh, heh…_  Hm? Oh, uh, thanks, Leni."

"…So, you think you got it, Lilster?" Terry said.

Lily nodded. "Um… I think so…"

"Great!" He turned to the rest of the table. "So, we all ready to play?"

He was answered with a chorus of  _"Mm-hmm!"_ s and  _"Yep!"_ s.

"Okay!" As Terry shuffled the deck, he realized something. "Oh, wait – chips." He leaned towards the kitchen.  _"Hey, Mr. Loud!"_  he called _. "We're playing poker – where do we keep the poker chips?"_

_"Poker chips?"_ Mr. Loud called back.

_"Yeah!"_

_"We don't have any of those!"_

_"Why not?"_

_"They're a choking hazard!"_

_"They WERE – do you see any babies left in this house?"_  Terry sighed, turning back to the others. "Well, looks like we've got no poker chips. What else can we wager with…?"

"Money?" Luan suggested.

"Come on, Luan," Lana said, "I'm only twelve! I've got to hold onto every loonie I've got! I'm not betting money against  _Lynn."_

"Yeah, and how much money do you think  _Lily_  has, huh?" Leni added.

_"Ooh! Ooh!_  I could go upstairs and break open my piggy bank!" Lily said.

"No, Lily," Terry said. "We're  _not_  playing for money. Hmmm, let's see…" After a few more moments of thought, Terry snapped his fingers. "I've got an idea! We've all got things we want to ask each other, right?"

"Yeah?" the others said.

"Why don't we play for  _that?"_

The others all stared at Terry, confused.  _"Huh?"_

"Information! We'll play for information! Whoever wins the hand gets to ask one question to whoever they want. Sound good?"

The concept was intriguing – no-one could deny that. It only took a moment's thought for Lily and the girls to agree. Lincoln, on the other hand, was more apprehensive. What would he ask the girls? What would the  _girls_  ask _him?_

He worried about this, dithering for several moments, until the others began to take notice. "Linky?" Lily said.

Lincoln looked around the table and read the disappointment on everyone's faces. He slumped his shoulders.  _He_  wanted to play with them.  _They_  wanted to play this way. How could he refuse them?

And besides… he knew what he was getting into when he decided to do this.

Lincoln shrugged his shoulders. "…Fine by me."

His sisters all beamed excitedly. Terry chuckled – this promised to be an interesting game. "Atta boy, Lincoln!" he said. "Way to get into the game spirit!" With dexterous motions, he shuffled the deck over and over. "All right, boy and girls, once again, the name of the game is Texas hold 'em. Lacking chips, there will be no blind-posting requirements, you only bust out when you  _choose_  to, and the pot will always consist of one question asked to any player of the winner's choosing." He cut the deck.  _"Y'all ready for this?"_

_"Mm-hmm!"_  the girls said. Lily and Lincoln agreed with them with a  _"Yeah!"_  and an "Uh –  _Uh-huh."_

Terry grinned. "Let's deal."

Terry dealt the cards… but every other card got its edge or corner caught on the tablecloth and flipped over. After everyone promptly got rid of the tablecloth, he deftly dealt a hand to each player rounding out the table clockwise – first Lily, then Leni, followed by Lana, Lynn, Luan, Lincoln, and finally himself – then set the deck aside. Everyone peeked at their cards, Lincoln included. A 3 of hearts and a 5 of diamonds – not a promising start.

Everyone looked at Lily, who stared back, uncomprehending.

"Lily?" Terry said.

"What?"

"It's your turn."

"Oh!" She looked at her cards. "Um…" She looked at Terry. "Terry, what's the thing…? When you check…?"

Terry chuckled and tapped the table twice with two fingers.

Lily copied him. "I check!"

"Check," Leni said, as did Lana.

Lynn looked at her hand, then sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I just… I just don't think this will work without betting. I mean, where are the stakes? What have we got to win, or lose? Why would we be inclined to fold? How do we bluff, or make interesting showdowns?"

"The 'stakes' are burning questions you want to ask," Terry said. "Winning means you get to ask them, losing means you don't. And you fold if you think you can't win, simple as that. And this is just a friendly game of poker, Lynn. No need to get  _too_  competitive…"

Lynn considered his words for a few moments, then shook her head and sighed again. "…Fine. I check."

"Check-o-roonie!" Luan said.

Lincoln still didn't like his hand, but he decided to see where this would go. "I… check."

"And I check." With that, Terry dealt the flop. A 2 of spades, an 8 of spades, and a jack of clubs. Once again, everyone checked. The turn and the river revealed a 7 of hearts and a queen of diamonds, and the final round began.

"Okay, Lily," Terry said, "think you can win?"

Lily grinned confidently.  _"Yep!"_  She checked.

"Hmmm… I don't know…" Leni said, looking back and forth between her hand and the community cards. "Ummm… W-When you fold, you don't  _actually_  fold the cards, right?"

"Right," Lynn said. "You just say that you fold."

Leni nodded. "Okay, I fold."

"I don't," Lana said.

"Me either," Lynn said with a confident smirk.

Luan shook her head, pushing her cards away. "I've got nothing."

Lincoln did the same. "Me too."

Terry maintained an impressive poker face. "I check."

It was time for the showdown. Lily went first, proudly displaying her cards. She had queen high. Luan burst out laughing.

"What? What is it?" Lily asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing…  _pffft –!"_  Luan attempted to stifle her laughter.

Lana, feeling more confident in her hand now, revealed it. A pair of jacks.

"Not bad," Lynn said. She gave a devilish grin. "But not as good as…  _this!"_  She showed her hand. An eight and a queen – two pair. "Beat  _that,_  Terry!"

Terry scratched his chin. "Hmm… I'll try…" He showed his hand. Both cards were eights – three of a kind. "Will this do?"

Lynn pounded her fist on the table. "Ah,  _ostie de sacramente!"_  she exclaimed.

Lincoln, Lily, and Terry all stared at Lynn uncomprehendingly.  _"…Huh?"_

"Oh, Lynn has a friend from Montreal," Luan said. "They were on a hockey team together when she was in high school. She taught her some Québécois."

"What did she just say?" Lincoln asked.

Luan smirked. "Oh, I think you can guess…"

"Well, sorry, Lynn, but to the victor go the spoils!" Terry clapped and rubbed his hands together. "All right, question time, question time…" He thought about his question for a moment, then leaned forward. "Why don't we start simple, hm? Do you girls have any jobs?"

Luan grinned. "Oh, that's an easy one! Yes, we do."

"What do you do?"

"Sorry, Terry, but you already used up your question. Next hand!"

_"Luan!_  Come on!" Lynn sighed. "I'm a student teacher at a local elementary school. I teach PT – uh, gym, that is. Oh, and I'm a math tutor too, sometimes. But mostly I teach gym. Just because I can't live my dream of being a world-famous athlete doesn't mean I can't share my love of sports with others! Who knows? Maybe one day, when I'm a fully certified teacher, I might just pass my dream on to someone better…" She leaned back, smiling fondly at the thought.

"Wow, that's noble of you, Lynn!" Terry said.

Lynn shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's what being a teacher is all about, eh – being a role model for future generations." She chuckled. "You know, we, as students, never really appreciate our teachers enough for everything they do for us…"

"We do sometimes!" Leni offered.

"Yeah. But only  _sometimes."_

Terry nodded slowly. "Hm. Food for thought. Cool, Lynn! What about you, Leni?"

"Me?" Leni said. "What about me?  _Oh!_  I work at the mall!"

"Where?"

"I just told you – at the mall!"

"I know, but  _where_  at the mall?"

"Oh! Well…" Leni looked away and bit her lip, embarrassed. "All over the place, really. I… keep getting fired."

"What?! Why?"

"Because Leni can't do  _anything_  right!" Luan said with a laugh.

While everyone else shot Luan an angry glare, Leni nodded glumly. "I know. I know I screw up a lot…" She brightened up. "But it's okay! I  _always_  try my best! And that's what really matters, eh?"

"Right!" Terry said.

"Besides, there's another guy at the mall who's always getting fired, too! What was his name, again…? Jeffrey? Joshey?"

"See, Leni? You're not alone!" Terry put a hand on Lincoln's shoulder. "No-one's  _ever_ alone."

Lincoln looked at Terry, then around the table at each of his sisters. All of them were giving him meaningful looks. He cleared his throat, looking down at the table. "R-Right."

Terry kept his hand on Lincoln's shoulder for a moment more, then took it off. "…Right." He cleared his throat. "So, anyways, what about you, Luan? Do you have a job?"

Luan twirled her ponytail with her finger. "Well, I don't have a job  _per se,_  but I  _do_  make money on the side…"

"How?"

She shrugged. "I make art – drawings, paintings, sculptures – then I sell it online."

"Oh, cool! You make a lot of money?"

"Eh,  _some."_

Lincoln perked up, intrigued. "Huh? Wh… What about, uh… d-don't you have Funny Business, Inc., Luan?"

Luan waved dismissively. "Oh, I gave that up a  _long_  time ago."

"Well, uh… what about your stand-up acts?"

"Nope."

"But… Luan, I thought you loved comedy!"

"Are you kidding? Comedy is my  _life,_  Lincoln!" Luan leaned back in her seat, putting her hands behind her head. "I just realized what  _real_  comedy is, that's all."

"Wha – uh, what's that?"

"I'll tell you what it's  _not –_  it's not wearing a colorful wig while juggling pins and riding a unicycle! Or dressing in black and white and pretending to be stuck in a box…"

"Hm. Interesting," Terry said, as Lincoln scratched his head in confusion. Terry turned to Lana last. "I don't suppose  _you_  have a job, though, do you, Lana?"

"Actually," Lana said, "I help out at the pet store. I might not do plumbing or fixing cars anymore, but I still love animals.  _That_ much hasn't changed. I get paid a little for my work."

"Nice. All right, well, I guess that about answers my question." Terry gathered the cards back into the deck. "Let's go again."

He started reshuffling the deck. "Now, normally, the deck would go around the table, but seeing as how we're not posting blinds, there's really no point."

"Huh? What do you mean, 'go around the table'?" Lily asked.

"That means someone else would deal the cards every time."

_"What?"_  Lily started bouncing in her seat. "I wanna deal the cards!  _I wanna deal the cards!"_

Everyone laughed at Lily's display of childish enthusiasm. "All right, Lily," Terry said, "you can deal." He got up and gave her the deck. "Start by shuffling."

"Okay!" Lily picked up the deck, grinning… and her expression quickly changed to confusion. "Um…"

"Something wrong, Lilster?" Luan asked.

"No, no, it's fine!"

Lily's grin returned – only this time, it was a nervous one. She started shuffling in a painfully amateurish fashion, separating the cards into two stacks of varying shapes and sizes and jamming them together over and over, often spilling several. Finally, once she was sure that the deck was sufficiently shuffled, she stacked the cards neatly and started dealing them. Or rather, she  _tried_  to, but her aim was always off, and her clumsy tosses caused the cards to both miss their marks and turn over in midair more often than not. Every time the latter occurred, the players patiently returned the cards to Lily who, after several tries, finally simply got up and handed two cards to each player, then returned to her seat, deeply embarrassed.

Everyone politely applauded Lily's effort. "Good job, Lily," Lincoln said.

"Yeah," Leni added, "you did good."

Lily didn't buy it, but she still appreciated the gesture. "Thanks. Um, guys, could I, um, skip dealing from now on?"

Terry nodded. "If that's what you want, Lily. And hey – I can show you how to shuffle and deal properly later, all right?"

Lily smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Leni peeked at her cards.  _"Ugh._  Even  _I_  can tell these cards are bad," she said, and folded.

"Same," Lana said, folding.

"Sorry!" Lily said.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Leni said. "It's not your fault, sweetie!"

"Yeah – it's just the  _'luck of the draw'!"_  Luan added with a laugh.

As Lynn and Luan both checked, Lincoln peeked at his hand. Two 7s – better, but whether or not it was a winning hand remained to be seen. He checked.

Terry checked as well, then looked at Lily. Lily sat still, until she noticed that everyone's eyes were on her. "What?" she said.

Terry sighed. He stood up and reached for the deck. "Lily," he said gently, "is it okay if I deal for the rest of this turn?"

Lily nodded. "Okay."

Terry took the deck and dealt the flop. An ace of clubs, a three of diamonds, and a king of clubs. Everyone checked, first in that round and then the next, which followed with a queen of hearts as the turn. At the river, Terry folded, and in the end, Lincoln had a pair of 7s, Lily had a pair of queens, Lynn had two pair, and Luan had a pair of kings.

"Lynn wins!" Terry said.

Lynn fist-pumped.  _"Yes! Booyah!"_

"All right, Lynn, you may ask one question."

Lynn immediately started thinking. There were a million questions she wanted to ask Lincoln – she had trouble picking just one. Eventually, the others started to get tired of waiting.

"Uh, Lynn, if you're having trouble thinking of a question, we can come back to you," Terry said.

"…What? Oh, no, no,  _no!_  H-Hang on!" Lynn sent her mind into overdrive.  _Think, think, THINK!_ she thought. Then, it happened upon her – what Terry had said earlier.  _'Start simple'…_

Lynn cleared her throat. "So, Lincoln, Terry… do you guys play any sports?" she asked.

"Oh, sure!" Terry said. "I'm on the Royal Woods High basketball team!"

"Ooh, the Roadrunners?" Leni said.

"Yup!" He and Leni shared a cheer of  _"Go, Roadrunners!",_  then laughed.

"Sweet!" Lynn interjected. "So, what position do you play?"

"Small forward. Fitting name for a small position…"

Lynn turned dead serious.  _"Hey._  There are no small positions – only small players."

Terry chewed on that. "Huh… Yeah, I guess that's true…"

Luan arched an eyebrow at Lynn. "Hey, did you just appropriate a theatre proverb?"

"You bet your a – uh,  _butt_  I did!" She looked at Lincoln. "So, what about you, Lincoln?"

Lincoln twiddled his fingers. "Uh… no. I'm, uh, not much of a sports guy." He shrank a little. "Not much of an  _anything_  guy, really…"

"Oh, uh… I…" Lynn shared a concerned glance with Leni and Lana. "…O-Okay."

The deck then passed to Leni, who shuffled and dealt with surprising skill. As she did so, Mrs. Loud came in from the master bedroom, having finished mourning the imminent death of her father.

"Girls, Terry," Mrs. Loud said, "we're going to the –" She stopped when she saw Lincoln at the table. "Why… Lincoln…"

"Wh-What is it, Mom?" Lincoln said.

Mrs. Loud placed a hand over her heart, a quivering smile forming on her lips. "I… It's…  _Oh…"_  She blinked back tears. "You're… you're playing a game… with your sisters…"

Lincoln blushed. "Yeah, I am, okay? Can we  _please_  stop making such a big deal out of this?"

"Lincoln's right," Terry said. "It's just a family playing a game together –  _nothing unusual about that, is there?"_

There was a meaning in his words that it took Mrs. Loud a few moments to realize. Her smile turned warm. "No… No, there isn't. Uh –  _ahem._  Kids, your father and I are going to the store to buy some refreshments for the party tomorrow – do you want anything?"

"Candy canes!" Lily said. "And gingerbread men! And cookies for Santa! _Ooh!_ Ooh, wait!  _Gingerbread men_  for Santa!  _And me…_  b-but also Santa!"

Mrs. Loud laughed. "Okay, sweetie. Anyone else?"

Everyone looked around the table, but no-one wanted anything. "We're good," Terry said.

"All right." Mrs. Loud fished the keys to the van out of her purse. "Your father's in the van – he's letting me drive it for the first time. Have fun, kids!"

"We will. Bye!" Terry said.

_"Bye, Mom!"_  the Loud children all said together.

The kids and Terry all waved goodbye to Mrs. Loud, then turned back to the game after she left. "Anyways… where were we?" Terry said.

Lana looked at her cards. "Hmm… check."

"Check," Lynn said.

When Luan looked at her cards, her eyes popped. "Wow…" She looked up.  _"Leni_  rigging card games? Who'da thunk?" She pushed her cards away. "I fold."

"What…?" Leni said, hurt by the accusation. "I… I didn't –"

"We  _know_  you didn't, Leni," Lynn said. "Luan's just being Luan again."

Meanwhile, Lincoln looked at his hand. This time, it seemed that Lady Luck was on his side – he had a king of clubs and a queen of diamonds. Perhaps, this time,  _he_  would win the hand? "Um… check."

Terry checked, and a 10 of spades, a jack of diamonds, and a 10 of diamonds came with the flop. Only one pair for Lincoln, and everyone else shared it. Everyone stayed in the game. The turn put a 7 of clubs on the table – absolutely no help for Lincoln. No-one bowed out. And finally, the river – a 6 of hearts.

Lincoln sagged in defeat. Somehow, his strong hand had managed not to benefit him at all. Although it pained him to do so, he folded.

"Giving up now, Lincoln?" Terry said. "So close to the big climax?"

"I can see the writing on the wall," Lincoln responded. "I don't have a chance."

Terry shrugged. "All right. As for me…" He checked. "I'm in to the bitter end, now."

"Me too!" Lily said.

"Me three!" Lana said.

"I'm in 'til the end, and I'm gonna  _win_  in it!" Lynn boasted.

"Well, we'll just see about  _that!"_ Terry said. He looked around the table. "…Hm.  _Déjà vu._  Lily? Why don't you go first?""

Lily showed her hand – a pair of 10s. Lana also only had a pair of 10s.

_"Ha!_  Losers!" Lynn displayed her hand – a jack of clubs and a king of clubs. Two pair. "Check  _that_  out!"

Terry blinked, dumbfounded. "Uh… wow…"

_"Heh…_  I know, right?"

"Yeah, I mean…" He chuckled. "…really, talk about  _déjà vu…"_

Lynn stopped grinning. "Wh… What…?"

Terry revealed his hand – a 10 of hearts and a 5 of spades. Three of a kind.  _"Read 'em and weep."_

This time, Lynn slammed  _both_  fists on the table.  _"Are you kidding me?! AGAIN?!"_

As Lynn tore her hair out in frustration, Terry indulged in some laughter at her expense. "Jeez, Lynn, have you  _always_  been this sore of a loser?"

"No, not always," Luan said. "In the past, she actually managed to be  _worse._  She was also a sore  _winner,_  too."

"Really?"

"Yep," Lana chimed in. "She would win every game we played together, and then she'd rub it – and her butt – in our faces."

"Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah," Lincoln said. "She was  _insufferable."_

"Well, it's good to see that you've matured a lot, eh, Lynn?"

Lynn folded her arms, refusing to look at him.  _"Feh!"_

"Relax, I'm just messing with ya," Terry said, laughing. "All right, now, my turn again… Hmm, questions, questions, questions…"

At this point, Lily was looking quite downtrodden. "Um… Terry?" she said.

Terry turned to her. "Yes, sweetie?"

Lily got up and crossed over to him, whispering in his ear. Terry burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?!" Lily demanded.

"Nothing, nothing, it's just…" Terry fought himself for control. "I… I was about to ask the exact same thing!"

_"Really?"_

"Yeah!"

Lily started laughing right alongside Terry. Lincoln and his other sisters, however, were just plain confused. "Um… what's going on?" Leni asked.

Once again, Terry had to actively calm himself down.  _"Ah…_  Oh, well… Lily wanted to know about Luna. And you know what?  _So do I."_  He planted his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. "Tell us about Luna. What's she like?"

_"Yeah! Yeah!"_  Lily said, now back in her seat.

Lincoln leaned forward and listened intently. He couldn't say that he wasn't curious himself. Luna, the only one of his wayward sisters not to return from exile… what had become of her after all this time?

"Ah, Luna…" Lynn said. She turned to Luan. "Luan, you know Luna better than any of us. Why don't you tell them?"

_"Ahhh…"_  Luan sighed, leaning back in her chair and tenting her fingers. "Luna… of  _course_  you'd want to know about Luna. Well, Lincoln, you knew Luna before all of this, eh?"

Lincoln nodded. "Y-Yeah, I did."

"Well, then you'd be surprised by how much she's changed. Even before Lori had her little appointment with a razor, she was shaping up to take her place, on account of how Lori was, well…" She drew a circle around the side of her head and whistled like a cuckoo. "After that, well, she  _really_  stepped up as a big sister. She never quite achieved the same amount of success that Lori did, what with her not having the role since she was little, but she also never developed the same crippling insecurities as a result. Oh, but the sense of failure is still there, don't you worry…" she added with a chuckle.

"Luan,  _enough."_  Leni sighed. "Don't listen to her. Luna does a  _great_  job taking care of us all. We all look up to her. She's so smart, so responsible… She manages to balance work, school,  _and_  family!"

"What does she do for work?" Terry asked.

"Oh! She's an intern at an IT company."

"Three times the responsibility means three times the pressure!" Luan laughed.

Lynn glared at her. "Laugh it up, Luan. I'd like to see  _you_  do better."

"Oh, I  _can't._   _None_  of us can. Just you wait – without Luna around to keep us in line, things are gonna go right down the gutter."

"What's  _that_  supposed to mean?" Terry said.

Luan laughed. "Just you wait."

Lincoln sat back in his seat and closed his eyes, processing this new information. Luna… from what he remembered of her before the incident, she was a kind, yet loud, rowdy, and fun-loving sister. He couldn't imagine her being  _anything_  like Lori – but from the others' tones, it sounded like they respected Luna just as much as they used to respect her.

Lincoln sighed. So much had changed…

"Lincoln?"

Lincoln snapped to attention. _"Huh?"_

"You okay?" Leni asked.

"F-Fine, fine, just, uh… thinking…"

Leni looked at him curiously but left the issue there. She passed the deck to Lana, who passed it to Lynn in turn. "Uh, Lynn," Lana said. "you mind? I'm no good at shuffling…"

As Lynn reshuffled and dealt the deck, the cards reminded her of something. "Hey, guys," she said, "remember when Lincoln put us in his  _Ace Savvy_  comic?"

"Oh, yeah!" Lana said. "I remember that! The Full House Gang!" She checked. "What ever happened with that, Lincoln?"

"That sounds an awful lot like a  _question,_  Lana!" Luan said.

"Yeah, so?"

_"So,_  you'd better win this hand if you want an answer!"

"Wha –?! But –!" Lana looked at Lincoln pleadingly.  _"Lincoln!"_

Lincoln was at a loss. He turned to Terry, who thought about it, then shook his head. He turned back to Lana. "Uh… sorry, Lana."

Lana pouted. She bent over until the table was at eye level, peeking at her cards. She was going to win this hand, no matter what.

The game proceeded without incident until the turn, at which point Lana developed a devious idea. "Say, guys," she said, "are you  _sure_  we can't bet in this game?"

"We don't have anything to bet  _with,_  Lana," Lynn reminded her.

"Well, what about  _turns?"_

"Huh?"

"Why don't we bet with turns? We bet a number of turns, and each of us either has to fold, call, or raise. Whoever loses the, uh… the…  _thing…_ at the end…"

"The showdown," Terry said.

"Right, the showdown – whoever loses the showdown loses the same number of turns that they bet."

"Hey, that's actually not a bad idea!" Lynn said. "What do you guys think? Should we bet with turns from now on?"

"Sure!" Leni said.

"Okay, why not?" Luan said.

"That oughta make things interesting," Terry said. "Okay, I'm in."

Lincoln thought about it. "Uh…" He shrugged. "Okay, sure, I guess…"

"Okay!" Lily said. If everyone else agreed with it, then she did, too.

"Well, all right, then," Lana said. "I bet one turn."

Lynn narrowed her eyes at her. "Oh, is  _that_ how it is?  _Hmph._  Fine. I  _raise._  Two turns."

Luan had already folded by this point, as had Terry. Lincoln looked at his cards. A 2 of hearts and a 10 of diamonds. On the table, a 3 of clubs, a 9 of clubs, a king of hearts, and an ace of spades. This did not look good for him. "…You don't lose any turns if you fold, do you?" he asked.

"Nope," Lana replied. "Only if you lose the showdown."

Lincoln pushed his cards away. "Then I fold."

Before Lily could even say anything, Lana looked directly at her. "Now, Lily, remember," she said, "if you lose, you forfeit two turns."

"…What does  _'forfeit'_  mean?" Lily asked.

"That means you don't get to play for two turns. Which means you don't get to  _win,_  which means you don't get to ask any questions."

Lily peeked at her cards nervously, then glanced at the community cards. "Umm… Uh…" After a few indecisive minutes, with great reluctance, she folded for the first time since the game started.

"I… I fold, too," Leni said.

"And  _I_ call," Lana said.

The river came. A 2 of diamonds. Lynn checked.

"Oh, what's the matter, princess?" Lana said with a mischievous smirk. "Not up to the challenge? Then what do you say we turn up the heat a little?  _Three_  turns."

Scowling, Lynn looked back and forth between her cards and the cards on the table. Deciding that the high risk of losing three turns was not worth a slim chance of victory, she folded.

"What's this?" Luan said. "The almighty Lynn Loud, Jr., giving up?"

Lynn shrugged. "Gotta know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em."

"Well, you should  _know,_  Lynn…" Lana said, "…that I was  _bluffing! Ha-HA!"_

Lynn raised a clenched, trembling fist.  _"Why you little…!"_

"Uh, Lana?" Terry said. "Word of advice? I understand if you want to indulge in a little gloating, but just so you know, doing so will make us more likely to call your bluffs in the future."

_"Tch!_  Whatever, pal!  _I win!"_  Lana turned to Lincoln. "All right, Lincoln, now tell us – what happened with the Full House Gang?"

"Oh, uh…" Lincoln scratched the back of his head. "Y-You know, the, uh, the Full House Gang actually, uh, became so popular that they, uh,  _heh…_  became regulars in the comic."

The girls were all astonished – even Luan.  _"No way!"_  Lana said.  _"Really?!"_

Their excitement brought a small smile to Lincoln's face.  _"Heh…_  yeah…" Just as quickly as his smile had appeared, however, it disappeared. "But, uh… Well… After the, uh…  _incident…_  most of them were killed off."

Luan snorted. The others were crestfallen.  _"Oh…"_  Leni said. "W-Wait,  _most_  of them?"

"Yeah, um… the Queen of Diamonds, the Card Counter, and the Deuce ended up becoming villains in this, uh,  _unpopular_  storyline. Turns out they weren't dead – they were just kidnapped and brainwashed."

Lynn chuckled bitterly. "Lola would have hated that… So, were any of them redeemed?"

Lincoln shook his head. "No, they were all killed at the end of the storyline. Except, well, uh, they weren't  _really_  killed – you know how comic books are. They became recurring villains after that."

Luan snapped her fingers. "Oh, hey! What about Wild Card Willy?"

"Hm? Oh, he, uh, well… he went back and forth between hero and villain over the years. It's in his name, after all –  _Wild Card_  Willy."

"Do you still read those comics now, Linky?" Leni asked.

"Yeah, they, uh…" Lincoln rubbed the back of his neck. "Ace and Jack have gotten me through some… tough times…" Noticing how downtrodden his comment made his sisters, he cleared his throat. "B-But the series is still good! Don't know for how much longer, though, now that Bill Buck died recently… I, uh, I used to read the comics to Lily when she was little, you know!"

_"Really?"_  Leni reached over and took Lily's hand, squeezing it. "Oh, do you like that, Lily? You like reading  _Ace Savvy_  with your big brother?"

Lily took her hand back, folding her arms. "…I  _used_  to," she replied with a pout, "but not anymore. I can't believe they made me a villain…"

The hurt in Lily's voice resonated with Leni, and she passed a pained look over to Lana, who relayed it to Lynn. "Y… Yeah, Lily, we know," Lynn said. "It's… It's just not fair…"

"Sounds like that  _'house of cards'_  fell a long time ago," Luan said. "Just like the one it was based on!"

Luan's comment only saddened Lily more, and when the others conveyed their displeasure with her in their looks, she merely shrugged, picked up the deck, and played another hand.

Lincoln looked at his cards. A 4 of diamonds and a 7 of diamonds. With this combination and more than a little luck, he might be able to get a flush. But… for some reason, he just didn't feel lucky this time.

Lincoln pushed his cards away. "I… fold."

The girls all looked at him, surprised.  _"What?"_  Lynn said. "Lincoln, aren't… aren't you playing?"

"Of course I am. I just, you know… don't think I'm gonna win this time, you know?"

"But the – what do you call it?" Leni asked. "The three cards…?"

"The flop," Terry answered.

"The flop hasn't, like…  _happened_ yet!"

"I know. But I still don't think I'm gonna win. That's all."

The girls were unappeased, but Terry stepped in. "Guys, it's okay. He's playing – he just doesn't feel lucky this time."

The girls looked at each other, worried, then slumped their shoulders and accepted it for now.

"Hmm… I check," Terry said.

"Check," Lily said.

Leni peeked at her cards. "I… check."

"Check," Lynn said.

_"'Check, please!'_   _Hahahahaha!"_  Luan said.

The flop came, and with it an 8 of diamonds, a 7 of clubs, and a jack of diamonds. Terry and Lily both checked again, but Lana bet another turn. "Time to separate the champs from the chumps," she said arrogantly.

Lynn narrowed her eyes at her younger sister. "You could be bluffing again," she said.

Lana merely smirked at her. "And I could  _not_  be, too."

_"Hmph._  We'll see. I call."

"I call," Luan said.

"Call," Terry said.

"Me too!" Lily said.

Leni glanced at her cards. "I, um… I…  _Mmh…"_  She pushed them away. "I… fold."

The turn brought an ace of diamonds to the table. Lincoln grimaced – it seemed that he had folded too soon. Or perhaps not – out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lynn faintly smirk for a moment. Everyone played it safe that turn and checked, and with a river of a king of spades, the scene was set for a showdown.

"I'd like to cash a ' _check',"_  Luan said with a chuckle.

"I'll check," Terry said.

"I check," Lily said.

"I raise," Lana said.  _"Two_  turns."

Lynn wore a calm, yet confident, expression. "Is that so…?" she said quietly. "I see… Well, if that's the case…" She looked directly at Lana. "I  _reraise. Three_  turns."

Lana started. "Wh- _What?"_

"Whoa-ho-ho,  _look out,_  folks – Lynn's in  _'chicken dinner'_  mode!" Luan said.

"'Chicken'— _what?"_  Terry said.

"Doesn't matter. Point is, it'd be wise to fold now." Luan then did just that.

Terry pored over his hand, as well as the cards on the table, then set his jaw. "…I don't think so.  _Call."_

Luan started laughing. "Your funeral, honey…"

"I call, too!" Lily said, just as determined as Terry.

Lana started grazing the back of one finger with another and bit her lip as she looked at her cards again. Lynn caught the tells, just like Lincoln. "Ooh, what's the matter,  _champ?_  You talk a big game, but can you  _play it?"_

Lana glared defiantly at Lynn. "…You could be bluffing again," she said.

"Yeah – and I could  _not_  be, too," Lynn responded.

Lana gritted her teeth and agonized over the decision. Finally, she took a deep breath. "…All right, Lynn, you're on.  _I call."_

Lynn guffawed. "Okay, high rollers –  _show me what you've got."_

Terry revealed an 8 of spades and a jack of hearts. "Two pair."

Lily showed her cards, then started throwing a fit. A 9 of hearts and an ace of clubs. Whoever was going to win this hand, it wasn't going to be her.

Now confident again, Lana revealed her hand – a jack of clubs and a king of hearts. "Two pair – king kicker." She folded her arms and looked at Lynn smugly. "And  _you?"_

Lynn shrugged. "Oh, nothing…" She laid her cards on the table. "…except an  _ace high straight."_

Lana gaped wordlessly at Lynn's hand – a 10 of spades and a queen of spades. Terry uttered a low whistle. "…Well played, madame," he said, clapping slowly.

Lily started stomping her foot.  _"Dang it, dang it, DANG IT!"_  she cried.

_"Lily!"_  Lincoln said with a sternness that surprised his other sisters. "Do we need to ask you to leave the table?"

"I don't…!" Lily shook her head, fighting back tears. "I don't  _get this game!_  How come everyone keeps beating me?!"

"Well, Lily," Terry said, "this is a nuanced game, you know? It takes time and patience to learn and master all the tricks."

Lily only shook her head again. "I just don't  _get it!_  I just wanna…" She sniffled. "I… I just wanna talk to my sisters…"

"You  _will,_  Lily," Lana assured her, "you  _wlll._  You'll have plenty of time to talk to us over the holiday. This… this is just a game, okay? It's okay if you're not good at it. You're still learning more about us, eh?"

Lily huffed. "I  _guess…"_

"Right," Lynn said. She got an idea. "And hey, you know what? This time, I've got a question for  _you!"_

Lily gasped.  _"Me?"_

"Uh-huh!"

"What is it?  _What is it?"_  Lily started bouncing in her seat.

"This one's an easy one…" Lynn looked at Lincoln. "What do you think about your big brother?"

Lily got out of her seat and walked over to Lincoln. "Linky is always so nice and patient with me… I wish he'd play with me more, but when he does spend time with me, he always does his best to listen to me, and make me happy." She took Lincoln's hand, then turned to Terry. "And I know Terry isn't  _really_  my brother, but, well… he  _acts_  like one, and that's good enough for me. He's so funny, and nice, and he plays with me a bunch." She took Terry's hand as well. "They're… They're my big brothers, and I love them a whole lot."

Lily's words brought a smile to Lincoln and Terry's faces.  _"Aww…_  Come here, sweetie…" Lincoln said.

Together, he and Terry sandwiched Lily in a great big hug.  _"Aaaah!"_  Lily squealed.  _"Help! I'm being hugged to death!"_

Lincoln and Terry released her, laughing. Terry ruffled her hair. "Silly Lily," he said.

Lily stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Scary Terry," she retorted.

Although the girls were moved by the heartwarming scene, they were confused by Lily's last line. "Why does she call you  _'Scary'_  Terry?" Lynn asked Terry.

Terry shrugged. "It rhymes?"

Everyone laughed at that. Then, Terry stood up, stretching.  _"Ah…_  Well, as long as I'm out of the game, I might as well take the opportunity to get a drink. Lily? Do you want a juice box?"

Lily nodded. "Grape juice, please!"

"Sure. Anyone else want a drink? A soda, maybe?"

"I'll take you up on that," Lynn said.

"Yeah, me too," Lana said.

"Comin' right up!"

The deck passed to Lincoln, who tried to remember who was still in the game. He shuffled and dealt to Leni, Lynn, Luan, and himself. As he did so, he heard a distinctly low, lazy  _meow_  behind him, and he turned around to see Cliff the cat lurch slowly into the room.

"Oh, hey, Cliff," he said, "you're up.  _Finally."_

_"Cliff?"_  Lana practically jumped out of her seat and ran around the table, where she saw the fat cat stop and look at her warily. Lincoln wasn't kidding earlier – Cliff had really put on weight, looking almost so fat that his legs shouldn't have been able to support him, and the fur around his whiskers was greying. _"Cliff!_  Hey, boy! Oh, it's been so long…!"

Lana reached out to pet Cliff, but the cat backed away, arched his back as much as he was able, and hissed at her, taking her aback. "Cliff? What's the matter? It's me, Lana, don't you remember?"

"Lana," Lynn said, "it's been six years – of  _course_  he's forgotten you. He's forgotten  _all_  of us."

"A-And besides," Lincoln said, "he's, uh… he-he hasn't been the same since, you know… s-since Charles, Walt and Geo died."

"Gee, why does  _that_  sound familiar?" Luan said, smirking at the other girls. Leni looked mournful, while Lynn merely rolled her eyes in frustration.

Cliff retreated back into the kitchen and towards the basement as Terry returned with the drinks. "I miss anything exciting?" he asked as he handed Lily a juice box and Lana and Lynn each a soda.

"No," Leni said as Lana returned to her seat. "In fact, we haven't even started yet." She peeked at her hand. "I check."

"Che – Oh, wait, I'm not playing," Lana said.  _"Heh, heh,_  never mind."

"Check," Lynn said.

"Check City, U.S.A.," Luan said.

Lincoln looked at his cards. A 2 of hearts and a 6 of clubs. He sighed. "I… check."

The flop produced an ace of clubs, a queen of diamonds, and a 4 of hearts. Everyone checked around the table except for Luan, who bet one turn. Lincoln looked at his cards again.  _"Ugh._  Fold."

"Not me," Leni said. "I call."

"As do I," Lynn said.

The turn and the river put an ace of hearts and a four of clubs on the table, and no-one dared to bet any further after the last hand. In the end, it came to a showdown.

Leni revealed an 8 of diamonds and a jack of spades. "Two pairs."

Lynn revealed an ace of spades and a 9 of diamonds. "Full house, baby!"

"Huh. That's funny…" Luan said. She showed her hand – a queen of spades and an ace of hearts. "I've got a full house, too – only, with queens instead of fours. How about that?"

_"Oh…!"_  Leni cried.

Lynn slapped the table.  _"Maudit criss de calvaire!"_

Luan rubbed her hands together. "Oh boy, oh joy! Finally, it's  _my_  turn! And oh, I've been waiting to ask this question  _all game!"_  She turned to Terry and Lincoln. "Terry, Linc? There's something I'm  _dying_ to know about you two…"

"Yeah?" Terry said, taking a sip of soda.

Grinning impishly, she asked,  _"…Who gives head?"_

Terry choked on his drink, and Lincoln blushed deeply.  _"LUAN!"_ Lynn shouted. "That is  _so_  not an appropriate thing to ask!"

"I know – that's why I  _asked it!"_

"You –! Lily is  _right there!"_

"Huh?" Lily said. "Wha… What's going on?"

"N- _Nothing,_  sweetie!" Leni said. "Just, uh, um, uh…" She got up, walked around the table, and took Lily's hand. "L-Let's just, uh… go upstairs for a little bit, okay?"

"Why?"

"Because we're about to have grown-up talk, Lily," Terry said.

With that, Lily instantly understood.  _"Ohhh…"_

Lily allowed Leni to lead her upstairs, then Luan leaned in intently. "So? Which is it? Is it Lincoln? I bet it's Lincoln…"

Lincoln looked at Terry, deeply embarrassed, and Terry put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Terry said, "…No."

"So it's  _you,_  then? Huh… Well, I guess that makes sense. I mean, it  _does_  seem like Lincoln would be sort of passive during –"

_"No."_

"'No'?" Luan looked between Lincoln's flushed and Terry's frowning face, and realization dawned on her. "Wait… Oh my God, have you two  _ever_  done it before?!"

Lynn and Lana, although still mortified by the turn the conversation had taken, now seemed curious. Terry started drumming his fingers on the table. "…For your information," he said testily, "I was raised not to engage in premarital sex."

"But you don't actually  _believe_  that bunk, do you?"

Terry exhaled sharply. "I understand where it's  _coming from…"_

_"Hmmm…"_  Luan stroked her chin in an exaggerated fashion. "…So, is that a  _'no'_  on the gay sex?"

Rubbing his eyes wearily, Terry nodded. "…That's correct."

"Ah, I see." She paused. "…Saving that for the wedding, huh?"

_"LUAN!"_  Lynn bellowed, pounding her fist on the table.  _"Enough!"_  She looked at Terry, making a 'hurry it up' gesture. "Just… deal the next hand, would you? And someone call Leni and Lily back down here."

Lana ran to fetch Leni and Lily, and Terry shuffled and dealt to Luan and Lincoln only. Lincoln looked at his cards carefully, determined not to let Luan ask another question. And holding a 4 of diamonds and a 4 of spades, he stood a decent chance.

"Check," Luan said.

Lincoln narrowed his eyes at her. "…I bet one turn," he said.

Luan merely smirked in response. "I call."

The flop put a 2 of spades, a queen of hearts, and a 3 of spades on the table. Nothing helpful, but Lincoln still had one pair. He tried again to intimidate Luan into folding. "I bet another turn."

But Luan kept that same smirk on her face. "…I call."

Next came the turn, and with it, a 7 of spades. Lincoln glanced at his cards again – one more spades suit, and he'd have a flush. He tried to project an air of unease as he checked.

Luan raised an eyebrow at him, but kept her grin. "I check, too."

Finally, the river – and to Lincoln's immense relief, it was a jack of spades. "I check," Lincoln said.

Luan let a little giggle escape her lips. "I check, too."

Lincoln began to worry if Luan had a better hand than him, but his fears were unfounded, as she revealed a queen of diamonds and a queen of clubs.  _"Three of a kind."_

Lincoln wasn't deterred. Confidently, he laid his cards on the table.  _"Flush."_

Lynn slapped the table again, only this time, it was in triumph. Everyone except Luan cheered at the conclusion of the tense hand in Lincoln's favor.

"Yay!  _Go Linky!"_  Leni cheered.

"All right!" Terry said, clapping Lincoln on the back. "Well played, Lincoln!"

_"Heh…_  uh, thanks," Lincoln said.

Luan initially looked disappointed, but then she laughed it off.  _"Heh…_  guess I shouldn't have expected any different. When will I learn…?"

Lincoln thought that that was a curious thing to say, but his thoughts were interrupted by Terry. "Okay, Lincoln," he said, "one question. Let's hear it."

Lincoln froze. He had gotten so caught up in the game, he had neglected to think about what he would do if he actually  _won._  "U-Um… Um… Uh…"

Lincoln desperately tried to think of a question to ask, but the harder he tried, the more his mind drew a blank. He was snapped out of his brainstorming session by Terry putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Lincoln," Terry said, "if you can't think of anything, it's okay. We can come back to you if you want."

Relieved, Lincoln nodded. "Yeah, sure. Okay."

"All right." Terry passed the deck to Leni. "Leni?"

Once again, Leni dealt to herself, Lynn, and Lincoln. Lincoln was so preoccupied trying to think of a question that he barely paid any attention to the game, calling or checking as the situation called for. In the end, he didn't even notice when the showdown came.

"…Lincoln?" Lynn said.

Lincoln snapped back to awareness. "Huh?"

"What have you got?"

"What have I –?" Lincoln looked around the table and saw that everyone else had shown their cards. Leni had a pair of queens, and Lynn had another full house. Lincoln looked at his cards, then the community cards. His hand was good, but not good enough to beat Lynn's. "Uh… two pair."

"Guess that means I win!" Lynn said, leaning back and putting her hands behind her head. "Okay, so, I want to know something…" She looked at Lincoln. "Lincoln… what do you like most about Terry?"

"What do I like most about him?" Lincoln said, looking at Terry. "Well… I mean, that's an easy one. It's… He's… He's just so… I-I mean, it's his  _personality,_  you know? He's always there when you need him, always happy to help…" He smiled fondly. "He's just so…  _selfless."_

"Especially with you, Lincoln. Especially with you." Terry leaned in close and rested his forehead against Lincoln's, closing his eyes and smiling.

"Aww, that's… sweet…" Leni said.

"Yeah…" Lynn nudged Lana. "All right, Lans, could you pass me the deck?"

Lana passed the deck, and Lynn shuffled and dealt to herself, Terry, Lily, and Lana.

"Hey, don't  _I_ get any cards?" Lincoln said.

"No, don't you remember?" Lana said. "You lost two turns."

"O-Oh! Right…"

"Must not have noticed, being too lost in thought, eh, Lincoln?" Terry said. "Bet you were thinking about what question to ask, right?"

Lincoln looked away, smiling – Terry knew him so well. "Y-Yeah…"

"Well, did you come up with anything?"

"Uh, well…" Lincoln shook his head. "Not yet."

"Well, now that you're not playing, you've got nothing to distract you, eh?" Lynn chuckled. "I check."

"Check," Terry said.

Lily tossed her cards to the center of the table. "I'm done."

"You mean, you fold?" Terry asked.

"No, I mean I'm  _done._  I'm not playing anymore."

"Why not, sweetie?" Leni asked.

"What's the point? I never win. And I'm never going to, either. I'll just watch."

The girls looked at each other, then shrugged. "…Okay, Lily," Lana said. "I check."

"Check," Lynn said.

Since Lily wasn't using them, her two cards were borrowed for part of the flop – a 9 of clubs, a 7 of diamonds, and a king of diamonds. The turn brought a 5 of clubs to the table, and the river an ace of clubs. At the river, Terry bet one turn, and Leni folded, as did Lana and Lynn.

"Okay, so…" Terry leaned over the table. "Hmm… Oh! I know! What are you college girls studying in school?"

"I'm working on getting my teaching certificate," Lynn said.

"And I'm majoring in art history," Luan said. "Thrilling stuff."

"I'm studying to become a nurse!" Leni said.

_"Really?"_  Terry said, interested.

"Yeah! I mean, like, I love taking care of people, eh, so I thought, why not make that my job? I'd be doing some good while I'm at it…"

"You would be. Good for you, Leni. So, what about Luna?"

"She's working on getting her degree in programming. Like I said, she works in IT."

"Cool." Terry turned to Lincoln. "So, Lincoln? Think of anything yet?"

"Hmm… Well… There is  _one_  thing I'm curious about…" Lincoln said.

The girls all leaned in.  _"Yes?"_

"How did you all, uh… end up in Toronto? Like, what made you decide to live there, and, uh… yeah."

"Oh. Well, first of all, we went to live at Great-Aunt Ruth's," Lynn said. "And along with all the other reasons why it usually sucks, Great-Aunt Ruth had heard all about what had happened, and she was disgusted with us, eh, telling us that we should be ashamed of what we did to our only brother, and stuff…"

"Not even Lori killing herself in the bathtub made her change her tune," Luan said, laughing.

"…Yeah. So, everyone else had heard about us, too, and Mom just decided that no place in the U.S. was safe. So, we packed our stuff into a van and drove across the border, looking for a place to put down roots. We thought we'd start by staying a week in Toronto and moving on, eh, but at the end of that week…" Lynn shook her head, smiling. "We knew that that was where we wanted to be."

"Nice city?" Lincoln asked.

"Oh,  _beautiful._  Like you wouldn't believe." She sighed contentedly. "So, we found a place to settle, and, uh… we got  _settled,_  eh? Lucy, Lisa and Lola, they, uh… you know… b-but the rest of us kept on keeping on, and, well, after three years or so, we all got our Canadian citizenships, and… yeah. Here we are."

"I see… Um… d-did anyone ever, you know…  _find out…_  about you guys…?"

"A couple of people," Lana said. "But they were really nice about it. Real understanding, eh? Not like everyone down here in America. Buncha hosers…"

"Oh, I… I see… A-All right, then."

Terry nodded. "Yeah, all right. Cool story, girls. Well, except for the… I mean…  _never mind._  Let's keep playing, huh?"

Luan shuffled and dealt to herself, Terry, Leni, Lana, and Lynn. The game proceeded without incident until the river, when Luan bet one turn. Terry, Leni and Lana folded, but Lynn remained in.

Luan revealed her hand. "Two pair."

Lynn glumly revealed hers. "…Nothing."

"Oh boy," Terry said, "here we go…"

"All right, Lincoln," Luan said, "I want to know – just how long did you stay in your room after we left?"

Lincoln blinked. "W-What?"

"You know – did you rush out of your room the moment we were gone out of your life, shouting  _'FREEDOM!',_  or did you stay inside, wondering, thinking about how we might still be out there, lurking, waiting to strike –?"

_"LUAN! ENOUGH!"_  Lynn shouted.

_"What?_  I'm just trying to get a sense of how broken he was! I mean, to fix something, you need to know how badly broken it is first, and he still doesn't seem perfectly fixed  _now!"_

_"You –!"_  Lynn turned to Lincoln. "Lincoln, you don't have to answer this question if you don't want –"

Lincoln held up one hand. "No, no, Lynn, that's okay. It's… It's alright." He sighed. "I… I stayed inside… for a couple of weeks."

_"I knew it!"_  Luan declared.  _"Hahahahaha!"_

Everyone else glared at her. "…That's  _not funny,_ Luan," Terry said.

_"'Not funny'?_  It's  _hilarious!"_

As Luan continued to laugh, the girls and Terry all groaned in frustration. The reasons for it might have changed, but Luan still managed to elicit the same reaction from her siblings after all these years.

"…Let's just play the next hand, okay?" Lynn said. "Lincoln?"

Lincoln shuffled and dealt to everyone except Lynn, and the game continued. Terry checked, and Leni bet a turn right off the bat. Lana and Luan cautiously called, as did Lincoln, who had a king of diamonds and a 4 of spades. Terry folded right away, complaining that fate had dealt him a nasty blow this hand. The flop produced a 2 of diamonds, a 4 of hearts, and a queen of hearts. Once again, Leni bet a turn.

Lana sighed. "I fold."

"Hmm…" Luan said, "there's a chance that Leni might be bluffing, but there's a  _bigger_  chance that she just has no idea what she's doing. I'm gonna call."

Luan may not have been nice about it, but she still had a point. "…Call," Lincoln said.

The turn put a jack of hearts on the table. Leni bet yet another turn.

"I don't like where this is going…" Lana said.

"Me either," Terry said.

Luan laughed. "You can't scare me, Leni. I call."

Lincoln shook his head. The risk of losing three turns was just too much for him. "Sorry, but…" He threw his cards away. "I fold."

The river came, adding an ace of hearts to the community cards. To everyone's astonishment, Leni bet one last turn.

"Leni, that's  _four turns!"_  Lynn said. "Are you  _crazy?!"_

"No – I just want to win!" Leni replied.

"Well, you'll be sorely disappointed, I'm afraid!" Luan said. "I call your bet. You're going  _down,_  cinnamon roll." With supreme confidence, she laid her cards down for everyone to see. Two queens – one of clubs, and one of spades. "Three of a kind. _Check it."_

Leni hung her head and started shaking. Little whimpers escaped from her mouth. Lana started rubbing her back. "Leni, are you all right?" she asked.

Leni sniffled. "I… I just… I just want to know something…" she said, "…but I… If I don't win, then I can't…!" She threw her cards on the table.  _"I've got NOTHING! Nothing matches!"_

Everyone looked at Leni's hand… and their collective jaws hit the floor. A 10 of hearts, and a king of hearts.

"I-I know – it's awful, isn't it?" Leni said.

Lynn weakly raised a finger to point at the cards. "Leni…" she said, "…that's a  _royal flush."_

Leni looked up. "H… Huh…?"

"Leni, that is the  _best hand in the game."_

"W-Wait,  _really?!_  So… So that means –!"

"That's right, Leni," Terry said.  _"You win!"_

Leni squealed with joy, while the others all laughed – especially Luan. "Oh, Leni," she said, "you always find ways to surprise us…"

"All right, so? What's your big, important question?" Lynn asked.

"My –?" Leni's eyes widened as she remembered her question.  _"Oh!_  Um…"

She fell silent. Everyone waited patiently. "Well, Leni?" Lynn said.

Leni didn't respond.

Now the mood started becoming tense. "…Leni?" Lincoln said.

Leni remained quiet for another minute more. Finally, she sighed. "…Lincoln?"

"Y-Yes?"

Leni looked him straight in the eyes.

_"…Are you happy?"_

That question brought everything crashing to a halt. It was so simple, yet had an inferred meaning that boggled the mind. Lincoln stared at his elder sister, mouth agape. "Wh… Wh…  _What?"_

Leni shrugged. "Just…  _overall,_  you know? After everything that's happened… After everything you've lost… everything you've  _gained…_  I mean, you're still here, aren't you? And you've got a loving boyfriend, a loving dad, and a loving sister, and, like…" She sighed. "You've got four –  _five,_  actually – sisters and a mom back, ready to be a family with you again…" She shrugged again. "So, like… after all of that…  _are you happy?"_

Lincoln stared at her, completely floored. She said it as gently as even someone like her possibly could, but at the same time, there was something in her voice, something in her  _eyes,_  that seemed hurt. No, not just hurt…  _accusatory?_  Was she saying that he  _shouldn't_ be happy – that he didn't  _deserve_  to be – after what had happened to Lori, Lucy, Lisa, and Lola? Was Leni – sweet, innocent Leni – saying that he should be ashamed of himself for allowing all of this to happen?

"…Well, Lincoln?" Leni said.

"Uh, I…" Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "I… I… I… I… don't…" Finally, he slumped his shoulders. "I… don't know."

Leni kept looking at him in that odd way for a few moments, longer, then slowly nodded. "…Okay."

For what felt like an eternity, no-one said anything. Luan was smiling to herself, intrigued, while Lily was trying to figure out why everyone was so sad. Leni personally felt a bit guilty for killing the mood. Eventually, Terry took the deck from Lincoln.

"Why don't we… play just one more round, huh?" he said.

Everyone agreed.

Terry reshuffled and dealt to everyone except Luan. Lincoln looked at his cards. Two aces. A good hand, but he wasn't sure if he  _wanted_  to win anymore.

Leni tapped the table twice. "…Check."

Lana pushed her cards away. "Fold."

"Check," Lynn said.

Taking one last look at his cards, Lincoln shook his head and tossed them in. "…Fold."

"Check," Terry said.

The flop consisted of a 10 of hearts, a 9 of spades, and a 5 of clubs. Leni checked.

"I bet one turn," Lynn said.

With that, both Terry and Leni folded, giving Lynn the victory. "Okay, Lynn," Terry said, "final question. Make it count."

Lynn wondered if she should ask this question, but ultimately decided that she might as well – the good humor that had been worked up by the card game was gone. "Lincoln…" she said, "…have you forgiven us? And if you haven't, will you  _ever_  forgive us?"

Lincoln sighed. He'd often wondered that himself the past six years. And even now…

He shook his head. "…I don't know. I… I still don't know."

Lynn nodded. "I understand, Lincoln. We  _all_  do."

For several moments, everyone sat still, not saying anything. Then, Terry stood up. "Well…" he said, "…that was fun."

Lynn stood up too, stretching. "Yup. Great idea, Terry."

"Thanks, Lynn."

Everyone else stood up as well. "So," Lana said, rubbing her hands, "what now?"

"I'm going outside," Lily said.

"Now?" Terry looked out the window. "It's  _dark_  out, Lily!"

"Not with the Christmas lights on, it's not!" She walked around the table to Luan. "Hey, Luan, do you wanna build a snowman? It doesn't have to be a snowman…"

Luan smiled warmly at her. "Sure, kiddo. Sure."

"What about us?" Leni asked.

Terry scratched his head. "…TV?"

Lynn shrugged. "Yeah, okay."

As Lily and Luan put on their outdoor wear, the others all filed into the family room. Terry turned to Lincoln. "Lincoln, you wanna watch with us?"

Lincoln shook his head. "I'm good."

"All right."

As Lincoln headed back upstairs to his room, Leni, Lynn, and Lola found seats on the couch, and Terry sat down in the armchair, taking the remote and turning the TV on. After flipping through the channels for a little while, he found an old, classic Christmas movie playing and settled in to watch that as he reviewed everything that had occurred. All in all, he was pretty satisfied with the game. Everyone (well,  _mostly_  everyone) had had an overall good time, including Lincoln. Getting him to enjoy his sisters' company was key. And the past might have been brought up, but really, that was inevitable. And after all, wasn't the whole point of this trip to settle the matter once and for all? Lincoln and his sisters might have to be eased into the issue, but the sooner the resolve it, the better.

Terry settled into his seat. There was still a lot of work to do, but they were making progress.

(…)

Lily hauled another armful of snow over to the base of the snowman that she and Luan were building, dumping it on top of the budding mound and packing it in. "Um… thanks for doing this with me, Luan," she said.

Luan came up with another armful of snow, smiling at her. "Aw, for you, Lils? Anytime."

As Luan dumped the fresh snow on the mound, Lily seized the opportunity to ask whatever she wanted now that the game was over. "So, um, Luan… you know Luna better than any of the others, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So, you knew what she was like, um…  _before,_  right?"

Luan fought back a chuckle. "Mm-hmm?"

"So, um… what _was_  she like,  _before?"_

Luan squatted to face Lily at eye level. "Well, Lily," she began, "you might not believe it, but at one point, Luna wanted to be a  _rock star!"_

Lily gasped.  _"Really?!"_

"Yeah! She played guitar, wrote songs – she even had her own roadie!"

_"Wow!_  Was she any good?"

"She was  _great!"_

_"Whoa…"_  Lily looked down. "So… if she was so good, why did she give it up?"

"Because the music went out of her life a  _long_  time ago, kiddo."

Lily looked at Luan. "The incident?"

Luan nodded.

Lily shook her head. "I wish… I wish  _someone_ would tell me about it.  _Anyone._  Would… Would  _you_  tell me about it, Luan?"

Luan thought about it for a while, then finally shook her head. "Hmm… _no._  Sorry, kiddo, but you're young. You've got to hold onto your youthful naïveté for as long as you're allowed." Seeing how disappointed Lily was made her reconsider, however. "But… maybe I could  _show_  you what it was like?"

Lily perked up.  _"Really?"_

"Sure! Are you sure you want me to, though? It won't be pleasant…"

Lily nodded vigorously.  _"Yes! Yes! Yes!"_

Luan laughed – such young curiosity might lead to pain later on, but it was endearing all the same. "…All right. Close your eyes."

Lily shut her eyes and eagerly awaited the surprise – she  _loved_  surprises. As quietly as she could, Luan gathered up a bunch of snow, crept up behind Lily…

…and dumped the snow down her pants.

Lily's eyes shot open, and she began frantically hopping up and down. _"Ah! AH! COLD! Cold, cold, cold, cold, COLD!"_

Luan laughed out loud as Lily tried to dig the snow out of her butt, then slowed down once she succeeded and started glaring at her. "See that?" she said.  _"That._  It felt like  _that."_

Lily was too angry at Luan to understand the metaphor.  _"Ooh, you…"_  She gathered up a handful of snow and packed it into a ball.  _"Take this!"_

She hurled the snowball at Luan, landing a direct hit. "Oho, is  _that_  how you want to play?" Luan said, smirking mischievously. "All right!"

Soon, Luan and Lily had forgotten all about their snowman and were engaged in a snowball fight. A couple walking by saw the two of them tossing frozen balls of water at each other, laughing playfully.

_Aww, that's sweet,_  the woman thought. As she saw the little girl playing with the young lady, a thought occurred to her.  _…Wait a minute, isn't that the Loud house?_  "Kyle?" She turned to her boyfriend. "Isn't that the –  _ugh! KYLE!"_

Kyle didn't look away from his phone. "What?"

"Would it kill you to put that thing away for  _five minutes?!"_

"No!"

"Then _put it away!_  We are on a walk here –  _together!"_

"I  _will!"_

_"Right now!"_

_"I WILL,_  honey, just – _hey!"_

Kyle's girlfriend tried to snatch his phone away, but he fought her off.  _"Gabby! Would you –?!"_

Gabby started sulking. "…Is your phone  _that_  important to you, Kyle? Are these festive Christmas decorations not enough for you?  _Is MY COMPANY not enough for you?!"_

"No!  _God,_  no! I-I mean, it's not that, honey,  _really!_  You are the most important thing to me, I promise!"

"Then put that thing away and  _enjoy this walk with me…!"_

Kyle sighed. "…Okay, Gabby, I will. Just one more thing, all right?  _One. More. Thing._  I'll check my social media, and then I will devote  _all_  of my attention to you, okay? I  _promise."_

Gabby sighed heavily. She was really starting to think her boyfriend had a problem…


End file.
